Police Impound 13 Vehicles for Violating Restriction Orders in Lagos

…34 fitness enthusiasts bag 14 days quarantine, community service

The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Wednesday impounded 13 vehicles belonging to violators of the restriction orders by the federal government to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This is just as 34 fitness enthusiasts were sentenced by a Yaba Magistrates Court in Lagos to one month community service for violating the social distancing policy, and would as well be quarantined in any isolation centre deemed fit by the  Lagos State Government.

The RRS team led by its Commander, DCP Olatunji Disu, impounded the vehicles at the Alapere area of the metropolis for not complying with the directive on the stay-at-home order.

The team also dispersed a group of over 150 youths doing physical exercise in Ketu–Alapere area.

The vehicles, which included three cars, seven buses and three SUVs, were caught carrying passengers and were without valid excuses for being on the road.

The commander, who led a team of police officers on routine monitoring  of Lagos Island, had detoured at Ketu-Alapere where a long queue of vehicles were making their way towards Ojota Bridge towards Ibadan expressway.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had last Sunday evening directed RRS commander and other area commanders in the state to supervise and intensify enforcement of the stay-at-home directives on COVID-19.

The commander had earlier directed his men to disperse over 150 youths who had converged on Samuel Gbadebo Adegboyega village beside The Apostolic Church at Alapere.

Some of the youths, who claimed to be residents of the village and Ketu-Alapere, were in their large numbers doing morning physical exercises before the police got to the area.

After being addressed on the essence of the government stay-at-home order, some of the youths still refused to go home until the RRS commander directed his officers to form a wall, walked the youths down the road before they were eventually dispersed.

While vehicles with valid excuses and identifications were allowed passage, some of the drivers of the buses that were arrested stated that they were heading to Ibadan with their passengers.

All the vehicles have been handed over to the Alapere Divisional Police Station.

 Meanwhile, the 34 fitness enthusiasts who were arrested by Nigerian Army personnel and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Corps (LSNC) were charged to court and they were sentenced to one month community service.

The court convicted the defendants following their guilty plea to a one-count charge of working out in a group larger than 20 persons.

Although three others pleaded not guilty, the court also ruled that the violators should be quarantined for 14 days at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yaba or any other place designated by the government.