Truck owners defy 72-hour presidential order on Lagos roads

DRIVERS of articulated vehicles have defied the 72-hour ultimatum by the Federal Government to vacate roads leading to the ports in Lagos, investigations by Sunday Tribune revealed that trucks still littered the roads leading to the ports.

This is even as the truck owners blamed the noncompliance with the directive on activities of some unidentified military personnel who barricade the roads leading out of Apapa at nights, while allowing some categories of trucks to access the ports via ‘one way’.

It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, on May 22, issued the 72-hour ultimatum to truck drivers that park along Apapa to vacate the roads.

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This is even as the chairman, Presidential Task Force on Apapa Gridlock, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to assist in the implementation of the presidential order.

However, articulated vehicles still litter the long stretch of the Apapa – Oshodi express road from Mile 2 to Ijesha and beyond.

Also, findings revealed that trucks are still parked along the Ijora bridge leading to Wharf road in Apapa.

When contacted, the Chairman, Dry Cargo Section of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Inuwa Abdullahi, blamed yet-to-be-identified military personnel for the slow compliance with the relocation order.

According to Alhaji Abdullahi, who spoke to Sunday Tribune, “for now, the Wharf road leading to Apapa port is free. We just drove from the Barracks bus-stop to the Apapa port gate in less than 30 minutes. However, efforts to relocate the trucks  drivers on the Ijora bridge has been slow. Many of the trucks who are trying to comply with the 72-hour presidential directive, are facing challenges posed by some yet-to-be-identified military personnel, who barricade the roads at night.

“The situation is the same at Mile 2 axis. Some of the trucks want to turn around and go to their garages, but military men who barricade the roads in the dead of the night wouldn’t allow them do that. You know it is only at night, when there is no traffic on Lagos roads, that the trucks can conveniently manouver and leave the roads. Once it is 4:00 a.m. in the morning, Lagos roads start getting busy again.

“At nights, when the trucks are supposed to leave, some military men barricade the roads, forcing many of them to remain trapped in the gridlock on the Lagos ports access roads. We have complained to the presidential committee and a solution is being worked out for now.”

Also speaking to Sunday Tribune, chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, blamed the non-compliance with the order to favouritism on the part of the security operatives that were asked to enforce the order.

“The security operatives asked our members to leave the roads and head to our garages, while some other trucks belonging to some corporate bodies were being allowed into the ports.

“That was why the private truckers initially refused to comply with the 72-hour presidential directive. However, we just finished a meeting with the committee saddled with enforcing the order. I can assure you that by 6:00 p.m. today (Saturday), all our members will be off the roads leading to the ports,” he said.

Also, spokesman of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Mr. Marmood Hassan, said that by Sunday, any articulated vehicle still found on the roads leading to the ports would be impounded and the owners arrested.

“We have mobilised men and material for tomorrow’s showdown. By tomorrow, any truck still parked on the ports access roads anywhere in Lagos will be towed and the owners made to face the full wrath of the law,” Hassan told Sunday Tribune exclusively.