The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority impounded 84 commercial and private vehicles for various traffic violations, during a weekend enforcement exercise in the Idumota, Iddo, Ijora-Olopa, Costain and Onipanu areas of the state.
The agency added that suspected miscreants who resisted the enforcement operation assaulted and injured some of its personnel.
Adebayo Taofiq, the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department at LASTMA, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to him, the enforcement exercise was conducted to bring back order and guarantee adherence to traffic rules, especially along routes where ongoing violations by motorists and commercial bus operators had disrupted traffic flow and compromised road safety.
Taofiq stated that the agency was especially worried about commercial buses reversing against the flow of traffic on the one-way section from Iddo to Idumota via Cater Bridge.
He noted that this kind of behavior represented a grave risk to other road users, since drivers nearing the bridge could receive little or no notice that a vehicle was illegally reversing against the traffic flow.
“Motorists and other legitimate road users approaching the bridge may have little or no forewarning that a commercial vehicle is unlawfully reversing against the prescribed direction of traffic, thereby creating an extremely hazardous situation with the potential to precipitate devastating collisions, injuries and fatalities,” he stated.
Taofiq stated that certain people opposed the enforcement, and during that resistance, LASTMA staff were physically attacked and hurt.
He further noted that some suspected troublemakers, who allegedly assaulted the officials and damaged operational vehicles, were taken into custody.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, called the exercise essential for tackling what he described as a rising culture of impunity among certain road users and for restoring order along key traffic routes.
Taofiq said Bakare-Oki had on multiple occasions cautioned transport operators, commercial bus drivers and other road users not to turn under-bridge spaces, road setbacks and unauthorised spots into illegal garages.
He stated that these practices hindered effective traffic management and created dangers for public safety.
He explained that the ongoing enforcement effort was intended to secure adherence to traffic rules, preventing dangerous driving behavior and safeguard motorists, commuters, pedestrians and other road users.
He further noted that Bakara Obi cautioned that no person or group would be permitted to take over public roads, bridges or spaces beneath bridges for illicit loading, parking, vehicle repairs or garage activities.
As a result, LASTMA cautioned commercial bus operators, motorists, transport unions and other stakeholders to refrain from driving against traffic, reversing dangerously, parking illegally, loading indiscriminately and occupying unauthorised garages or under-bridge locations.
Taofiq added that further violations would lead to suitable enforcement actions in line with Lagos State traffic laws.
He called on members of the public to stay alert and report dangerous driving, traffic obstructions, reckless motorists and other traffic violations via the LASTMA toll-free short code, 3367.
