Molue Banned From Lagos Island

The Lagos State Government has banned commuter
buses, popularly known as Molue, from plying routes
on Lagos Island, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
The government says no Molue bus should cross any
bridge linking the mainland with the Island, such as
Third Mainland, Eko and Carter bridges, as they could
no longer operate in the Central Business District, CBD.
The state government said the decision was taken in
its determination to ensure adequate monitoring of
commuter bus operators as reagrds compliance with
traffic rules and regulations.
The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management
Authority, LASTMA, Engr. Babatunde Edu, at a
stakeholder’s meeting with the Branch Chairmen of
the Lagos Urban Bus Owners Association of Nigeria,
LUBON, the operators of Molue buses in the state on
Wednesday in Oshodi, said the new directive came into
effect since 19 August, 2013.
“Though the Lagos State Government was supposed
to have commenced enforcement last month, being a
responsive and responsible government which believes
in enlightenment before enforcement, we therefore
decided to shift the enforcement to 4th of this month,”
he said.
Edu stated that LASTMA has been mandated to ensure
strict compliance with the ban and impound any bus
that flouts the ban after 4 September.
The General Manager further said that Molue buses
could ply roads in any other part of the state aside the
restricted areas, reiterating that government has not
banned the buses outright.
He said the buses are restricted to areas like Orile,
Iyana Ipaja, Mile 2, Mile 12 among others and urged
operators to voluntarily comply with the new directive.
While taking the operators through the prohibited
routes, which include Iddo, Ebute Ero, Apongbon,
Obalende, Idumota, CMS, among others, Edu appealed
for cooperation and support of all the stakeholders.
Responding, the leader of the team, Engr. Taofeek
Adesina commended the government for its effort to
restore sanity and order in the state and therefore
pledged the readiness of his union to lend its support.