The Oyo State Government, on Thursday, commenced a crackdown on illegal structures, shanties, and indiscriminate truck parking along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway toll gate and areas under high-tension power lines.
The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd.), told journalists during the operation that the exercise was necessary to prevent accidents and other safety hazards caused by the indiscriminate activities along the highway.
“This enforcement is crucial to prevent loss of lives and the dangers posed by indiscriminate trailer parking on the highway,” Odukoya said, adding that the exercise would continue as previous warnings had been ignored.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, Major Adekoya Adesagba (retd.), described the operation as a multi-agency effort aimed at addressing environmental and security threats, particularly at the state’s gateway.
Reacting to the development, a representative of the Diesel Sellers Association, Abass Ademola, appealed to the government to provide alternative locations for those affected, warning that the exercise could lead to unemployment and increased insecurity.
The enforcement operation was carried out by a joint task force comprising the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, the Federal Road Safety Corps, environmental officers, Operation Burst, Amotekun, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
