Lagos drivers have been instructed not to pick passengers without face masks by the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Lagos State Council, Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo).

MC Oluomo directed commercial drivers not to allow passengers without face mask to board their vehicles or they risk getting arrested as the union has set up a Task Force Unit to arrest any driver/union member that violates the guidelines.

He said:-

“All passengers MUST put on their face mask. Failure to use it, such passenger should not be allowed into their vehicles.

“Tricycle Owners and Operator’s Association of Nigeria “TOOAN”(Maruwa operators) are to abide by the Lagos state government’s directive of carrying two passengers at a go.

“Drivers and their bus conductors are to ensure the practice of social distancing by operating at 60 per cent loading capacity,”

“Let us all support the efforts of the State government in fighting this pandemic by adhering strictly to the above guidelines and many more that had been given by the authorities.

“It is no longer a news that the whole world is currently fighting a war that is unlike the conventional war. The most challenging thing about this “health war” is that it can not be seen, has no cure yet and is no respecter of social status, age or gender. The number of confirmed cases sadly keep rising locally and globally.

“Sadly, this strange ailment keeps claiming lives of the patients and those treating them. Quite inspiring are some retired medical professionals, who came out of retirement to help save lives, the efforts of the health care workers during this period will forever linger in our hearts. You are all truely our HEROES.

“Our hearts goes out to the families of those lost to this pandemic and to those currently battling to survive the ‘unseen enemy’, we wish them safe and quickest recovery.

” As transporters who convey Lagosians from all walks of life every day to their respective destinations, we understand the value of service delivery in a complex state like ours hence, the need to roll out new guidelines to our members in order to protect them and their esteemed passengers.

“We are using this medium to appeal to all our Union members, drivers in particular, to please strictly follow the directives of the State and Federal governments, National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) and World Health Organisation(WHO) in order to stop the avoidable spread of the virus.”