Stop Collecting Toll on Lekki-Ikoyi Cable Bridge, Court Tells Lagos State
Vehicles passing through the bridge pay as much as N250.00 per trip, Sports Utility Vehicles pay N350.00 , while coastal buses pay N500 per trip on the bridge that takes off from Admiralty Way, Lekki and terminates at Bordillon in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The court, presided over by Justice Saidu, J held that the power of control of all navigable waterways in Nigeria, resides in the federal government and that from all the documents before the court, the only justification for the toll fee on the bridge by Lagos State is the private partnership law.
The court said that law cannot apply to the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge as it was built with the money of Lagos State, without any private partnership involved and there is no law supporting the toll fee and declared the collection illegal and ordered that it be stopped forthwith.
Speaking on the judgement, Adegboruwa commended the courage of the judge, especially against the background of impunity that Nigerians are being subjected to in this country.
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“Coming a day after the same court nullified the imposition of new number plates, this judgment should be an elixir, to all Nigerians, to proceed to challenge all illegal taxes and arbitrary charges, in the name of road tax, PHCN meter maintenance charge, estimate bills, without electricity, etc”.
The Lagos Lawyer, Ebunoluwa Adegboruwa, had filed the suit against the Lagos State Government, on November 26, 2012, seeking an injunction restraining it from collecting any toll from motorists on the bridge, arguing that the bridge was erected on a Federal navigable water-way, hence, the Lagos State Government, has no authority to toll the bridge which was build with N29 billion.
Meanwhile the Lagos State Government, has appealed the judgement.
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