Eight pedestrians were on Thursday arraigned before a Special Offences Court, Bolade-Oshodi on a one-count charge of endangering their lives by crossing highways in the Ojota area of Lagos state.
The action was taken after the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, arrested the defaulters for conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace by crossing the highways which is in contravention with the Criminal Laws of the state.
The development was disclosed on Friday at the agency’s command headquarters, Bolade-Oshod, by the Corps Marshal of the agency, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (retd).
The eight pedestrians include: Jeff Melu (M) 28, Solomon Opemipo (M) 25, Segun Moses (M) 45, Lazarus Nse (F) 24, Samuel Awoyinka (M) 26, Jimoh Ibrahim (M) 26, Oladoyinbo Seun (M) 26, and Eniola Toyib (M) 21.
“While we keep encouraging pedestrians to make appropriate use of strategically-erected pedestrian bridges for safety reasons, it appears that some are bent on risking their lives by crossing highways which could result in ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists and defaulters must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent,” a statement by the Head, Public Affairs Unit, LAGESC, Ajayi Lukman quoted Akinpelu as saying.
LAGESC revealed that the defaulters bagged hours of community services and fines respectively, adding that it would serve as deterrents to other recalcitrant pedestrians alike.
Akinpelu also renewed the charge to the agency’s operatives stationed across the state highways and roads to apprehend pedestrians in the habit of endangering their lives.
The LAGESC boss further emphasised the need for pedestrians to make appropriate use of pedestrian bridges and ordered street traders, and hawkers to desist from displaying their wares for sale on, beneath, or around bridges meant for pedestrians’ safety when crossing highways.