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There are fresh concerns in Apapa over the redeployment of the Presidential Taskforce Enforcement Team and replacement by one Muhammed Rabiu,commander mopol 22.
Resident and stakeholders in the axis are currently expressing concerns over the return of traffic gridlock and worsening transportation challenges in and out of the axis following the redeployment of the police boss.
It would be recalled that Ijora-Wharf axis of Apapa which falls under the supervision of the PTT enforcement team experienced free vehicular movement following the manual-call up system introduced by the Presidential Task Team to restore sanity on the axis.
Under the Presidential Taskteam headed by a police boss, corruption associated with the movement of trucks in and out of the nation’s port were eradicated as only trucks with genuine documents (papers) were allowed to move into the Apapa axis while those without the necessary documentations were turned back irrespective of the status of the truck owners.
In the new arrangements by the PTT-led enforcement agencies, time-table for movement of trucks, tankers and other categories of articulated vehicles were designed such that no trucks stay on the road for 24 hours.
With this development, normalcy returned to the axis, businesses that were hitherto grounded began to resurface. Property owners that had abandoned their homes began to return as movement in and out of Apapa doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. Life gradually returned to the axis with more businesses springing up.
But speaking with our correspondent, a source in the police hinted that the IGP finally replaced the dissolved PTT Mobile policemen with the appointment of Acp Muhammed Rabiu,commander mopol 22 is to replace the PTT mobile policemen.
The source said: Recall, following the handing over by the PTT, two weeks ago team’s head, ACP Bayo Sulaiman, was asked to hand over to Lagos state police command. The Area commander Apapa has been in charge along with Lastma and road safety.”
But a resident, who simply identified himself as Chief Alex Ejiofor said that perhaps the traffic situation could get better when the NPA begins the E-call-up system, saying things has not been okay, as the road became chaotic immediately the head Mobile policemen and his second in command left Apapa, adding that Area B commander couldn’t manage the road as before.
Meanwhile, as gridlock continues on the nation’s busiest port, some residents and stakeholders in Apapa are still skeptical about the new team, saying that they lack the experience.
