Christopher Oji
The Lagos State Police Command yesterday arrested many people for not wearing facemasks as directed by the Federal Government.
Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who confirmed the arrest said he would not be able to say the actual number of persons arrested, “ but I know that many people have been arrested and many more will be arrested for not wearing facemasks and others, especially transporters and other motorists who violate the directives of the government.”
Odumosu, who spoke after meeting with Area Commanders and principal officers of departments at Police Officers Wives Association Secretariats (POWA), Ikeja, said: “We just had a security meeting, we just analysed the presidential directive, and the state government regulations in line with the directive, and we are the leading agency in enforcing this directive. “The challenge for us now is to put our heads together to have a common way of enforcing the directive.
“It should not be difficult to enforce the new transport regulation in the state because the state government has gone further to bring in all the transport units in the state.
“They are to do self-enforcement for their members and the state government is also doing advocacy. Self compliance still remains the best, so the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) officials, Neighbourhood Watch, the park and monitoring officials of the Lagos state government, that is the agency that has the powers to know what happens in the park, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RETEAN), where all transporters belong, they have accepted they are going to enforce this. Once they comply, those who refuse, they will know the means of punishing themselves. With that, we are expecting voluntary compliance.
“Those arrested so far are those who did not put on the face mask. Either the passenger, driver or conductor. Anyone not putting face masks will be arrested.”