The Oyo State Government, on Thursday, launched an enforcement operation targeting illegal structures, shanties, and indiscriminate truck parking along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway toll gate and areas beneath high-tension power lines.
Speaking during the operation, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd.), emphasized the necessity of the exercise to mitigate safety hazards and prevent accidents caused by unauthorized activities along the highway.
“This enforcement is crucial to prevent loss of lives and the dangers posed by indiscriminate trailer parking on the highway,” Odukoya stated, adding that the operation would continue as previous warnings had gone unheeded.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), Major Adekoya Adesagba (retd.), described the initiative as a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies to tackle environmental and security concerns, particularly at the state’s gateway.
Reacting to the exercise, Abass Ademola, a representative of the Diesel Sellers Association, urged the government to provide alternative locations for those affected. He cautioned that the operation could lead to job losses and heightened insecurity if adequate provisions were not made.
The enforcement was carried out by a joint task force comprising OYRTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps, environmental officers, Operation Burst, Amotekun, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
