Apapa Traffic Jam Poses Grave Security Risk – Navy

The endless gridlock that has grounded human and vehicular movement in Apapa area of Lagos State, pose grave security implications, Naval authorities in the state said yesterday.

The Navy said it was based on that concern it introduced “Operation keep Apapa moving”, adding that the programme will be sustained until normal traffic movement is restored to the area.

The Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ovensari Uwadiae, who made this known while addressing newsmen on the need to dislodge truck drivers who have converted the two link roads into Apapa as a park, said with the current security situation in the country, it was risky to allow the status quo remain.

Commodore Uwadiae also said that the Navy has deployed a good number of its officers and men to work with other security agencies to ensure easy flow of traffic on the road.

“There is a standing order that on no account should they allow any truck to remain stationary over a long period of time. Criminals can hide under the cover of the heavy traffic to wreak havoc on innocent members of the public”, he said.

He added: “Vehicles that deliberately block the road and prevent easy flow of traffic would be towed. The Nigerian Navy is working with officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to ensure that obstructions on the various roads leading to Apapa area are removed. We have a lot of national economic assets and with the current security situation, in the event of a possible terror act, it will be disastrous. Furthermore, you will note that the situation is not helping anybody, because valuable hours are lost in the traffic jam, leading to frustrations of commuters, health hazards and also low productivity”.

It would be recalled that on Sunday, while inspecting the area, Governor Babatunde Fashola had blamed the Federal Government for the deplorable state of the Apapa road, saying the state government wanted to fix the problem but was prevented from doing so by federal authorities.