Lagos Police Declare State of Emergency on Traffic …1000 Officers Deployed

Matilda Omonaiye/

Not less than 1000 officers were today deployed by the police authorities in Lagos to combat perennial traffic situation in the state.

Announcing the deployment today, the new Commissioner of Police (CP) in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu ordered the immediate deployment of additional 1000 police officers for traffic management and control in the state.

Odumosu took the decision during an emergency meeting he summoned at the Command Headquarters to review the current traffic situation.

Officers in attendance included the Deputy Commissioners of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Department of Operations, Criminal Investigations Department and the Rapid Response Squad.

Also in attendance were Area Commanders, Area Operations Officers, the State Traffic Officer, Divisional Traffic Officers and the Chairman Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special offences, among others.

According to a statement from the Lagos State police spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana, the CP also reviewed the time for duty report for Traffic Officers to take care of the peak hours.

Henceforth, traffic duties officers would run shifts between 10 am and 10 pm while the second shift would be 10 pm to 10 am, providing 24hours coverage. They will all operate in their existing reflective jackets.

“The measure will help in ensuring free flow of traffic and will also curb the menace of traffic robbery. The Commissioner of Police calls on Lagosians to accord the Police Officers on traffic duties maximum cooperation in the discharge of their statutory duties. All road users are enjoined to obey traffic laws,” Elkana stated.

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