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Last week, two
buses belonging to the fleet owned by the Lagos Metropolitan Area
Authority (LAMATA) were set ablaze by irate motorcyclists in Ketu, Lagos
State. A commercial motorcyclist who was being chased by officers of
the Lagos State Transport Authority (LASTMA), the agency empowered by
the government to control the chaotic traffic in the city, was said to
have been killed by one of the buses.

According to an
account of the incident that led to the motorcyclist’s death, he was
flouting the traffic rule that banned motorcyclists from riding on the
highway and on sighting the LASTMA officials coming to arrest him he ran
and was pursued. While trying to outrace the LASTMA officials he
crossed into the dedicated track meant for the buses and was crushed to
death. Later reports suggested he had not died and was only injured,
treated and discharged from the hospital.

But the mob and a
colony of motorcyclists had drawn their own conclusions and descended on
the offending bus and another one that was oncoming, and set them on
fire.

In his reaction
Lagos State, governor Babatunde Fashola called for caution on the part
of motorcyclists and warned against mob action. He said,“ the burning of
two LAGBUSES…. means that those who participated in it have just also
contributed in burning the assets that we acquired with their money.
This is taxpayers’ money. It doesn’t belong to Mr Fashola. It is
collective asset for our own benefit. So if we buy those buses with your
money and my money, and somebody decides to set it ablaze, has it
really contributed to our development?’’

We share Mr.
Fashola’s concern and vehemently condemn the act of brigandage that the
torching of these buses amounted to. It is folly of the mob to have
thought destroying government property is atonement for anything, but of
course mob action has little to do with thinking. For the most part it
is a reflex action borne of anger, frustration, the thirst for revenge,
and the absence of any other recourse. It is unfortunate that this is
happening at all levels in our society.

The law
enforcement agencies were late to arrive on the scene to prevent the
torching of the buses. The fact that the fire could not be put out by
the fire brigade until it consumed both vehicles also testifies to the
fact that our response to emergencies is zero. The incident occurred on a
highway, it was absolutely dangerous for LASTMA officials to have
embarked on a chase of a motorcycle rider on a highway for a traffic
offence. Why mount a chase when a simple recording of the motorcyclists’
plate number could have saved everyone the agony of a loss of life and
the two buses torched?

An examination of
what transpired can lead to a number of conclusions, the most striking
being the parallels between the behaviour of the officials and the
behaviour of the mob.

It is a common
sight to see law officers wrestling with motorists, cyclists and others
on the highway. This is unacceptable. An offender should be booked and
asked to report at a police station and not be rough handled or
brutalised by security officials.

Last year, the
Lagos State Government issued a directive that banned all motorcyclists
from plying some routes and highways, a move that had at its heart
concern for maintaining the efficiency of our highways and protecting
the safety of all citizens on it. The question that must be asked is
how effectively this ban was enforced and chasing motorcyclists on a
busy highway does seem a rather counterproductive way of doing so.

We could just easily conclude that the Lagos State government and, by
extension, other levels of governments, caused this unfortunate
incident. If the state government had insisted on its ban on
motorcyclists from the highway or trained its traffic rules enforcers on
more practical ways of enforcement, this may not have happened.
Perhaps this is the time for the state government to really look at this
law and institute better ways of enforcing it. Allowing motorcycle
riders to ply all roads and highways is a recipe for chaos and disaster
but indulging in high speed chases on busy highways is not an
alternative. This must be stopped or we may continue to witness more
clashes between the riders and other road users.