Shola Jejeloye, Chairman, Lagos Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) on Monday said 382 commercial motorcycles were impounded during a raid in the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Taskforce.

Mr Jejeloye spoke after taskforce officials were attacked by suspected motorcycle riders during an enforcement on compliance operation at 7th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos.

He said unrestrained speed, gross violation of extant laws of the state government and other regulations are fast becoming rampant among motorcycle riders in the state.

The taskforce chief said the enforcement was aimed at curbing the menace of motorcycle riders and entrenching sanity in the state.

“The incident which occurred at about 11a.m had some suspected drug peddlers, miscreants, hoodlums in their large numbers who were hell bent on causing chaos rather than allow the Agency carry out her lawful duties.

“Several officers sustained varying degrees of injuries while one official vehicle and two private vehicles were burnt.

“The attackers, numbering about 3,000, were wielding stones, cutlasses, bows and arrows and other harmful weapons.

”They dashed out from different dark spots in the area pelted the officers continuously with hard objects before they were subdued by superior tactical power of the Agency without a gunshot or inflicting any serious injuries on them.

“Meanwhile, the reprisal attack was carried out by the Agency officials in a week-long enforcement activity in all the nooks and crannies of FESTAC Town and Surulere  where over 382 motorcycles were impounded.

“Also 103 miscreants were arrested and handed over to the State Police command for prosecution while four other culprits in the first attack had been arraigned and sentenced to two years imprisonment for violating the State Environmental and special offences laws,” he said.

He said another set of impounded commercial motorcycles by the Agency would commence on December 13.

“We will continue raiding blackspots, impounding motorcycles plying restricted routes  and enforcing all environmental laws to the letter,” Mr Jejeloye said.

(NAN)