Lagos State Clarifies Issues Surrounding Death Of Hawker, Issues Strict Warning

Lagos State Clarifies Issues Surrounding Death Of Hawker, Issues Strict Warning

The Lagos State Government has clarified the controversies surrounding the death of a street hawker that was killed while running from KAI officials.

Lagos State notes that the officials or the government should not be blamed for his death, as street hawking is still illegal.

The street hawker was trying to run away from the officials and a bus hit him, but the misconception is that it was a BRT bus; and so, some BRT buses were stoned in revenge.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said that contrary to the information being circulated in the social media that the street hawker was hit by a BRT bus, it was a truck belonging to a soft drink company that unfortunately hit the boy. 

His words:

It wasn’t any of our buses that killed him (hawker), it was a soft drink company truck that unfortunately crushed the boy while he was trying to escape from KAI officers who were on patrol trying to rid the street of street hawkers and traders.

But hoodlums now took advantage of that to start destroying government assets, including several of the brand new BRT buses.

It took the intervention of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to quench the crisis

The Commissioner further noted:

The Lagos State Government would like to use this opportunity to further reiterate that it would not relent in ridding the state of illegality, street trading and hawking.

Stating that Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003, restricts street trading and hawking in the Metropolis, while Sections Seven and Eight of the same law gives jurisdiction and power to the Special Court to order the seizure and public auction of items impounded from street traders.

Section Ten of the law also prescribes a N5,000 fine or three months imprisonment upon conviction.

Street traders are hereby urged to desist from this illegal activity because the government will not be blackmailed and would do that which is necessary.

And for the miscreants and hoodlums, the Lagos State Government and the Police Command would not allow any act of civil disobedience and those arrested would be dealt with in accordance with the law and further arrests would be made as investigation continues, he said.