Lagos to jail street hawkers, buyers

LAGOS State government has declared that it would start total enforcement against street hawkers and buyers starting from yesterday.
Making the declaration during a live interview ses­sion on TVC , a Lagos based TV station yesterday, the state governor, Mr Akin­wumi Ambode said hence­forth both buyer and hawker will be liable to a fine of N90,000 or a six months jail. He added that the renewed enforcement is in line with Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and Ille­gal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
While sympathising with the family of a street hawker who lost his life while try­ing to escape being arrested by officials of Kick Against Indiscipline along Maryland Bus stop on Wednesday, re­gretted that the situation led to the destruction of public assets.
Lamenting the loss of life and properties during the cri­sis, Ambode said;
“It is not in our DNA to allow someone to just die by road accident or the way it happened in respect of the incident. But beyond the fact that we lost one person while crossing the road as a result of evading arrest by KAI offi­cials, I need to tell Lagosians that over 49 buses were actu­ally destroyed and it is cost­ing us like almost N139m to put those buses back on the road,” he said.
He further added that the State Executive Council has resolved to enforce the Law, which according to him makes both the hawker and the buyer liable of the of­fence.
(c) Sun