Newspaper agents, vendors cry out over harassment

 Newspaper agents and vendors in some parts of Lagos State have cried out over the continuous harassment by some officials of the Lagos State Government Task Force.

The vendors, who operate around the Ikeja Under Bridge and Ojuelegba areas of the state, said that they have persistently been harassed and their papers destroyed.

It was gathered that the Task Force officials raided newsstands of the vendors yesterday and destroyed some of their newspapers, which were displayed for sale.

One of the vendors, Mr. Emmanuel Adede, said that he and his colleagues were shocked that the government would unleashed send security agents on them.

Adede said that everyone was aware that government had warned against commercial buses parking and picking passengers on that axis, but he and his colleagues didn’t know that newspaper vendors were forbidden from trading there.

Adede said: “The government officials, who stormed the area with armed policemen destroyed everything we use in distribution of the newspapers and magazines. They also destroyed our chairs, tables and rough handled our members.”

He further narrated: “We don’t know that their activities would affect us. We thought it was the commercial vehicle operators they came to send away from the area. We were shocked that the members of the Lagos State Task Force officials with armed policemen came between 8am and 8:30am. We all scampered for safety; some of our members were manhandled.  Since the incident, we’ve been trying to reach the chairman of the Task Force Chairman. We learnt that similar raid was carried out at Ojulegba area.”

  

The Treasurer of the Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria, Ikeja Branch, Mr Adeshina Lasisi, said: “The Task Force officials that raided the area told us that the state government did not want us to sell under the bridge anymore. But government has not provided alternative place for us to trade.”

The agents and vendors appealed to the state government to inform them wherever they have erred, rather than take away their source of livelihood.

The Development, Head, Press and Public Affairs Unit of the Task Force, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq , said that  Lagos State Government served commercial motorists 48 hours quit notice last Saturday, which expired on Sunday, that everyone should vacate under bridges at Ojuelegba and Ikeja towards Ipodo Market, Awolowo Way.

He added that the commercial activities under these bridges cause obstructions, thereby disturbing free flow of traffic. He said that the disturbance usually leads to gridlock, especially during peak hours.

Taofiq said: “There are also complaints of criminal activities such as snatching of phones, bags, jewelry and smoking of hemp day and night from residents. As of Monday, when we started the enforcement operations, they've all complied at both locations, Ikeja and Ojuelegba. Honestly speaking, we were not after newspaper vendors around these two locations, but in as much as we are not after them that do not give them any right to display their newspapers/magazines on the walkways. This is to prevent them from forcing pedestrians to be struggling with motorists on the right of way.

“They must comport themselves in such a way that they don't contravene any sections of the State Environmental Sanitation Laws. The law is not a respecter of anybody and it’s meant to be obeyed.”