The Lagos State Government is perfecting plans to prosecute the owner and driver of the fuel tanker that exploded along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday last week.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Imohimi Edgal, revealed this on Monday while briefing reporters at the end of the Security Council Meeting chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, had written to the police commissioner at the weekend, to advise him on the relevant provisions of the law that could guide the ongoing investigation that would lead to possible prosecution.
Confirming receipt of the letter, Edgal said investigations into the incident were ongoing, adding that government would not allow vehicles that pose a serious danger to residents on the road.
He also commiserated with those who lost their loved ones to the tragic incident and commended emergency responders who quickly raced to the scene to keep the causality figure low.
“As regards investigation into the matter, it is in top gear,” the CP said in a statement by Mr Habib Aruna, the chief press secretary to the governor.
“Henceforth, we are using this opportunity to call on all tanker drivers, all lorry drivers, all owners of such articulated vehicles to please submit those vehicles for Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) test; they must go through the entire hub and get the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) Certificate of Road Worthiness.
“We will not allow such vehicles which obviously pose a serious danger to other road users on our roads,” Edgal warned.
He further disclosed that the government had already directed security agencies to intensify enforcement of relevant laws, especially the traffic laws in the state with a view to ensuring that the roads and highways were safe for commuters to ply without any danger.
The police commissioner, however, urged residents to always refrain from converging on the scene of any accident of such magnitude as that of the unfortunate tanker fire incident, saying there could be a secondary explosion which could lead to loss of lives.
