On 22/12/2019 at about 9am, Police officers on traffic control along Ozumba Mbadi Way, Victoria Island, send a traffic report to Maroko Police Station that the entire road leading to the toll gate is blocked as a result of indiscriminate parking on the major road by customers of Quilox Club, 183 Ozumba Mbadi Way, Victoria Island, Lagos. The Club owner, Hon Shina Peller, a House of Representatives Member, representing Iseyin Federal Constituency, Uyo State was approached by the DPO Maroko on the need to ensure that customers to his club do not block the major road to mitigate the undue hardship the obstruction is causing to other road users.
Police eventually cleared the traffic and the honourable member promised to keep the road free of traffic. On 23rd December, 2019 at about 8.30am, traffic was observed to have build up on the road again. Police traced the cause to the Club again. The club activities mostly last up to 9am from night and affecting the free flow of traffic in the area. The situation was so bad that commuters have to resort to trekking. Police team from Maroko Division led by the Divisional Police Officer, mobilised to the street and after much efforts, got the traffic flowing again. Three vehicles parked on the major highway by some customers of the club, which actually caused the obstruction, were removed to the Station.
The Club owner mobilised over 50 thugs around 11am and invaded the Police Station to forcibly move the vehicles away. The Police Officers on duty at the station send a distress message to the Headquarters calling for reinforcement. Police teams from neighbouring Divisions and Area J Command, led by the Area Commander were deployed to reinforce the Station. The Honourable Member and five thugs were arrested while others scaled through the fence and escaped. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu psc has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba for in depth investigation. The suspects will be charged to Court.
Owners of club houses in Lagos State are warned to provide parking spaces for their customers within their premises to stop indiscriminate parking on the road. The good people of Lagos State have the right to enjoy free flow of traffic which informed the decision of the Command to declare a state of emergency in traffic. The slogan remains ‘Traffic must flow’ in Lagos State.
