Officials of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps have raided Olupese Terminal Park and Oshodi-Bolade garages and confiscated alcoholic drinks worth ₦1 million.
In a press release on Tuesday, the LAGESC Head, Public Affairs and Advocacy, Ajayi Lukman, said the agency’s corps Marshal, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), stated this at the command Headquarters of the Agency at Bolade-Oshodi.
Mr Cole said, “The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps popularly known as KAI, impounded alcoholic drinks worth ₦1M during a raid on Olupese Terminal Park and Oshodi-Bolade Garages on Tuesday.”
According to him, the raid was part of the state government’s efforts to mitigate the trend of alcohol consumption by commercial drivers in parks and garages in the state, which he said is a primary trigger for motor accidents.
He said, “These drinks remain banned for sale in parks and garages of the state and the street traders who have since been arrested will be prosecuted in accordance with the State Environmental Laws.”
Mr Cole highlighted the detrimental effects of consuming alcohol being hawked for sale on the psychological, mental and emotional well-being of motorists transporting passengers across the state.
Admonishing commercial drivers to maintain the perfect state of mind, Mr Cole warned that alcohol intake “inhibits reasoning and leaves these drivers susceptible to wrong suggestions when transiting passengers.”
He therefore urged passengers to report commercial drivers in the habit of consuming alcohol while on driving.
The corps marshal warned street traders and hawkers to desist from their banned activities as enshrined in the environmental Laws of the state.
He said that the agency had resolved to sustain its “war against street trading, displaying wares for sale in traffic, on walkways, setbacks, lay-bys, gutter slabs, road verges, medians and kerbs” and warned that defaulters would be met with stiff opposition.
Mr Cole also advised pedestrians to use pedestrian bridges in major highways in the state, warning that defaulters were being nabbed daily and made to face prosecution to serve as deterrents to others.