The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WOC), Sylvanus Abbah has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for drivers to vacate the Apapa Bridge.
Abbah said this at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday adding that with the state of terrorism in the country, no room must be further created to accommodate bombings and killings. He said that precautions must be taken to curb these evil perpetrators from launching attack in Lagos.
“We do not want to see tankers and trucks parked on the bridges anymore. They have requested for 48 hours to start phasing off their trucks from the bridges and we have obliged,” Abbah said.
“The terrorists and other enemies of Nigeria could easily use this opportunity. So many tankers are parked along the road; if any of them is set ablaze, you know what will happen to the rest.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transport, Taiwo Salau, the overstretch of the Apapa port is an execrating situation. He added that it is as a result of the absence of loading bays for the trucks.
“We cannot continue like this. This gridlock from Apapa to Mile Two and then from the stadium up to Eko Bridge does not do anyone good. The NPA is also part of the problem. When they take a step forward, they take two backward. There is also the issue of tank farms. This traffic situation is a national calamity.
He also said the port was built for 30 million metric tons but was currently importing over 80 billion metric tons, all of which are sent to their destinations by road.
“I have not seen anywhere in the world, where a port that discharges goods of this capacity does not have rails to move them to loading bays of shipping companies.
“One of the constitutional roles of the military is to protect key national assets, including the bridges. If we need to enforce the laws of the land, we have to work hand-in-hand with the state government to ensure that sanity is restored.”
