Sanwo-Olu re-enacts Fashola’s 2012 scene as he arrests ‘soldier’ for riding one-way

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu reenacted a scene that got Lagosians to celebrate Babatunde Fashola, a former Governor of the state for his no-nonsense approach to governance.

On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, Governor Sanwo-Olu ordered the arrest of commercial motorcyclists riding their motorbikes against traffic along the Lagos-Badagry expressway.

A trending video shared on Twitter by one of the governor’s media aides showed the moment the governor stopped his convoy and asked his security detail to go after the motorcyclists.

Some of the riders abandoned their motorcycles and fled as the security officials gave them a chase.

One of the riders, who claimed to be a soldier was caught and the governor asked the security operatives to take him into one of the SUVs in his convoy.

“Put him there let your father come and rescue you,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The arrested motorcyclist said, “I’m a soldier Oga sir.”

“That’s even more reason I’m going to lock you up,” Sanwo-Olu replied.

“Get in there, useless boy, you’re telling me you’re a soldier,” the governor retorted.

Sanwo-Olu was on his way to Lagos State University to commission the Femi Gbajabiamila Conference Centre when he accosted the erring motorcyclists. The encounter led to the arrest of five of them.

The scene is reminiscent of Fashola’s arrest of two military officers, Colonel Kayode Yusuf and Sergeant Aliu Adeomi for driving on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane in 2012.

The ex-governor accosted the officers who were driving in an army green Peugeot 406 and asked them, “Why, as a senior military officer, would you choose to break the law instead of preserving it?”

Colonel Kayode, who had stepped out of his car immediately he sighted Fashola approaching saluted repeatedly, saying “I am sorry; very, very sorry.”

Fashola while fielding questions from journalists after the incident said, “There is a zero tolerance for lawlessness. There is zero tolerance for breach of our regulations and we are going to do more of this.”