Six operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), were on Friday, allegedly brutalized by some staff of the Federal High Court.
They were reported to have been attacked while carrying out their duty on Queens Drive in Ikoyi, leaving the officers seriously injured, with three of the operational trucks also damaged.
“The operation is part of the Governor’s mandate to clear every part of the State of all environmental nuisances and infractions such as street trading on walk-ways/setbacks as well as erection of illegal shanties across the State.
“It was led by the Deputy Corps Mashal in charge of Operation, Mr. Ganiu Kazeem and Deputy Corps Marshal, Discipline and Staff Welfare, Mr. Adeleke Adeeso on the instructions of the Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello.
“The staff of the Federal High Court, who were known to patronise the street traders, obstructed the operatives while dislodging the street traders, who had earlier been given several notices to vacate the drainage part used for hawking of food items and drinks.
The Deputy Corps Marshal explained that on getting to the scene of the incident at about 1:45 pm, the staff of the Federal High Court, along with the private security personnel of the Court, came out en mass to attack the team with stones, Iron-rod, broken bottles and cutlasses, leaving them injured and damaging two operational vehicles.
He further explained that the operation had nothing to do with the staff of the Court, but for the fact that the hawkers who occupied the drainage channels were allegedly paying rent to the private security of the Court, the private securities in conjunction with some staff of the Court decided to stop the peaceful operation.
The Agency’s officers who were injured include; Oyedokun Samson (driver), Iwatan Oluwa Seun; Riwatan Oluwatobi; Shipeolu Babatunde amongst others were immediately rushed to the hospital and currently receiving treatment, with one of them stabbed on the neck under serious condition.
The Deputy Corp Marshal confirmed that some of suspects were arrested during the fracas, while the case was also immediately reported at the Ikoyi Police Station for further investigation.
He advised Lagosians to comply with the law of the Lagos State Government on Zero Tolerance to street trading, as the government would no longer tolerate the slightest attack on any enforcement personnel forthwith,” he stated.
Consequently, the Corp Marshall of the Agency, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (retd), reiterated the determination of the agency to ensure that all the citizens in the state abide by the stipulated environmental regulations of the State, noting that nobody in the State is above the law and warning people to desist from attacking enforcement officers out to carry their legal duties.