By Temitope Aina
Bus stop shelters erected in some parts of Lagos State by the government have been vandalised by suspected miscreants, leaving commuters stranded.
An investigation by PUNCH Metro on Thursday revealed that some bus stop shelters along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway were affected.
Our correspondent who visited the Airport, PWD, Shogunle, and Ladipo Bus Stops observed that the shelters were in different states of degradation, making them unsafe for commuters.
A commuter, Muyiwa, regretted that most of the bus stops had become havens for miscreants and mentally challenged persons, therefore making them unsafe for pedestrians.
“People do not use these bus stop sheds again, touts and mentally derailed people live there,” Muyiwa said.
A trader at Shogunle Bus Stop, Precious Chukwuemeka, said hoodlums and reckless drivers were responsible for the damaged bus stops.
Chukwuemeka said, “Reckless drivers also contribute to the damage of the bus stops apart from miscreants. Recently, a car rammed into one of the bus stops and damaged the roof and windows.
“There should be a standby security established by the government to help safeguard these bus stops. The bus stop is a general place for hoodlums.
“There are days we wake up to see dead bodies and human parts around the bus stops. At night, hoodlums are always seen taking weed and hard drugs.”
A street sweeper with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Hafsat, said, “Area boys sleep in the bus stops every day. Some of them remove the iron from the bus stops to sell.
“The ceilings inside the bus stops have been destroyed. Hoodlums scare commuters away from the bus stops, especially at night.”
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, said “The state government is taking note of the bus stops and they are all in the process of being refurbished.
“The government has sent officers to check the bus stops that have been vandalised by miscreants. The government will repair all of them and work will commence soon.”
Source: The Punch
