The Police in Niger said that it would enforce executive order restricting the movement of articulated vehicles in the state from Nov. 1.
DSP Mohammed Abubakar, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna..
Abubakar said that the police would always support any lawful order aimed at bringing about the development of the state and improve the well being of the people.
“The police will definitely enforce all laws and orders that will guarantee the security and safety of the good people of Niger state,” he said.
Abubakar said that the state government order to allow for a free flow of traffic and to make rehabilitation of the roads easy.
NAN recalls that Mr Adamu Mohammed, Solicitor General of the state and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, had revealed on Saturday that the Gov. Abubakar Bello has signed an Executive Order restricting the movement of articulated vehicles plying major roads across the state.
Mohammed said that the order is known as trailers, tankers and other heavy motor vehicles order no. 2, 2019, would take effect from Nov. 1 this year.
He said that the new order has repealed the old one and seeks to regulate the movement of heavy-duty vehicles and trucks to between 10 pm and 6 am daily.
The Permanent Secretary said that no trailer, tanker or any other vehicle loaded with flammable products would be allowed to park within residential areas.
“Any person who drives a trailer or other heavy-duty vehicle and abandons or fails to remove the said vehicle within a reasonable time and obstruct the normal flow of traffic has committed an offence and shall be liable on conviction to serve a term of not less than six months imprisonment and a fine of N500,000.
“If the relevant state agencies have to tow the vehicle, the owner shall pay and defray all towing expenses and for each day that the vehicle remains unclaimed, he shall pay demurrage of N50,000 and if unclaimed for 30 days, the said vehicle will be forfeited to the government.
“Any person who harasses, threatens, insults, intimidates, obstructs, assaults, batters or disobeys any officer of the state or a security personnel in the course of enforcing this order, has committed an offence and shall upon conviction be liable to a term of imprisonment of not less than six months and a fine of N500,000,” he said.
Mohammed said that a Magistrate Court of any grade shall have the power to summarily try offenders.