Lagos State Government has set up a joint operation involving security agencies and stakeholders in the maritime sector to remove all containerised trucks and tankers parked along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway commencing from Friday.

Tagged ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads,’ the exercise will be carried out from early hours of Friday to Monday by 1000 policemen, 500 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, 100 officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, 120 officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, and 250 personnel of the Nigerian Military including Army, Air Force and the Navy.

Apart from providing the equipment to be used for the operation, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency will also deploy 20 officials, while the relevant unions within the maritime sector such as Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, National Association of Transport Operators, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, among others will provide hundreds of their members to serve as Task Force to work with security agencies.

Addressing a news briefing after an emergency meeting on the chaos in Apapa axis as a result of the gridlock, the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal said the decision to set up the operation became imperative owing to the need to restore sanity and prevent complete breakdown of law and order.

Edgal said though the issues which gave rise to the sorry state of affairs on the federal roads and bridges linking the ports ranges from ports operational problems, activities of tank farms and shipping lines who don’t have holding bays in clear contravention to the law, and diversion as a result of ongoing construction, among others, the State Government nonetheless would not fold it arms and allow the sufferings of the people to continue, a development he said necessitated the operation.

He said it was gratifying that all stakeholders unanimously agreed that the operation should commence with immediate effect, while the Nigerian Ports Authority and other relevant agencies work to fashion out permanent solution to the issues within the Ports which gave rise to the gridlock.

According to Edgal, everybody was aware of the madness going on along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that had been completely blocked by trailers and tankers, saying the same problem they hade on the bridges in Western Avenue, Iganmu and Apapa axis.

He said thereafter, inventory would be made, saying the shipping companies themselves would be called to send their representatives to take inventory of the containers and at least have records that the containers have been taken to the designated locations so that they can continue their activities from there.

Edgal commended motorists and Lagos residents especially those staying in the Apapa axis for their patience and understanding so far, just as he assured that concerted efforts would be made to free the road between Friday and Monday, while another level of engagement would commence with the NPA, tank farm owners, shipping companies, Shippers Council and other stakeholders to forestall a repeat of the gridlock.

He also urged Maritime Union Workers, in the interest of the nation, to shelve their planned strike action and other moves they have so far embarked on which led to the gridlock, while also appealing to Lagos residents to bear with government especially in the event of diversions to ensure removal of the parked trucks and containers.

Also speaking, LASTMA’s General Manager, Olawale Musa assured residents that normalcy and order would soon be restored, saying the men of the agency had fully been mobilised.