The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit [Taskforce] on Tuesday arrested no fewer than 16 persons over alleged involvement in violence and public disturbances.
The Head of Public Affairs department of the unit, Mr Femi Moliki, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday.
Moliki said the arrested persons were believed to have masterminded violence and robbing of commuters at Iyana-Cele and Iyana-Isolo, on the Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway on Tuesday.
According to Moliki, the suspects capitalised on the peaceful no-work protest embarked upon by some commercial bus drivers operating at the axis to unleash mayhem on commuters.
The spokesman said the drivers were protesting the installation of road signage on roads that used to serve as bi–directional ways as One–Way.
He alleged that the suspects were caught molesting passersby and destroying public facilities, stressing that they also set bonfire on the Mile 2–Oshodi Expressway preventing vehicular movement on the busy highway, forcing commuters to resort to trekking.
Moliki said that machetes, charms, cudgels and other harmful weapons were recovered from the suspects.
The spokesman said that the Chairman of the Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, who led his men to maintain law and order in the area, listened to some of the aggrieved protesters and assured them that the state government would address their grievances.
“The chairman said that no official of Lagos State Taskforce operates between Toyota and Mile 2 for some time.
“This is because the agency is presently rejigging its operation in order to prevent reported incidences of illegal taskforce operatives in the metropolis.
“He has listened to all complaints against the officials of the agency and assured that genuine complaints would be addressed,” he said. [NAN]
