Lagos State Government

….Says restriction on Okada riders from plying bridges, major highways still in force

…Traffic offenders will face the maximum penalty, says Transport Commissioner 

Following the flagrant violation of the traffic laws and other anomalies on the roads, Lagos State Government on Thursday read the riot act to motorcycle and tricycle operators, noting that the restriction on them from plying 10 major highways, 40 bridges and roads within six local governments and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in the State is still in force. 

The State Government also expressed government’s displeasure at the disobedience to the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018 which restricts the operations of commercial motorcycles riders known as Okada and driving against traffic, known as one way driving.  

Speaking during a press conference held at Alausa in Ikeja on traffic rules violation, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, said the game is over for traffic offenders, especially the menace and impunity of commercial motorcycles and tricycles’ operators in the State. 

The Commissioner said all commercial transport operators must carry out their daily activities within the approved routes in Lagos State, adding that any motorist caught driving against traffic will face the maximum penalty and will equally be charged to the court of law under the transport sector reform law of Lagos 2018. 

He said: “Our Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has since his assumption of office prioritized his administration’s development agenda encapsulated as THEMES. The T stands for Traffic Management and Transportation.  In the last one and a half years, Mr. Governor has demonstrated his affirmed commitment to our roads, reform complex junctions to promote better traffic flow, invested in water and land transportation through the provision of ferries and high capacity buses. 

“In spite of all the efforts of Mr. Governor to reform our transport sector, it is therefore disheartening to note a lot of our people are still going against the extant law of the state on transport operation and safe driving on our roads and in our communities. The State Government prioritises the safety and security of the people. As a government, we cannot continue to watch this lawlessness develop into an uncontrollable situation. 

“I say the game is over because in the last few months, we have witnessed a lot of security and safety challenges apparently as a result of the activities of unscrupulous ‘Okada riders.’ These operators do not only violate the provisions of the Transport Sector Reform Law of Lagos State, 2018 with respect to restriction of areas of operations, but perpetrate crime using their motorcycles.” 

Oladeinde while stressing the need for sanity on the roads within Lagos, said the restriction of motorcycles on certain routes in Lagos State is still in force and failure to comply with the law will attract sanctions as stipulated in the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018, with penalties ranging from N20, 000 to three months imprisonment.

He said: “In line with this Administration’s plan to build Lagos that works for all, we are determined to continue to engage with the various transport unions and associations of tricycle and okada operator to ensure their members cooperate with us in the process of ensuring public safety by abiding with the TSRL 2018 at all time. 

“With the upsurge in the number of commercial motorcycle operators, we shall intensify our enforcement strategy. This we intend to carry out along with the various transport union leaders. We will set up a joint enforcement team to ensure that our roads are sanitised from the menace of okada riders. 

“We hereby direct all law enforcement agencies; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Taskforce and the Nigerian Police to immediately and continuously embark on enforcement on all restricted routes.” 

The Commissioner also urged the media to do more by enlightening drivers on the danger of one way driving. “Obedience to the law was paramount if we must build a state of our dreams. We all have joint responsibilities to make the state work for all,” he said. 

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Hon. Oluwatoyin Fayinka, implored all road users, especially commercial transport operators to be law abiding. 

He urged transport unions to wake up and caution their members who flout traffic rules, saying the government had directed law enforcement agencies to clampdown on them.

 
The Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Sulyman Ojora, during the press conference assured Lagos State Government of the support and cooperation of the union in ensuring that traffic offenders are brought to book. 

He also advised law enforcement agencies not to trouble the law abiding members of the union, saying that NURTW members are law abiding and they are fully ready to discipline any members whenever they violate any traffic laws. 

Also speaking, the representative of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Mr. Ayinde Runmokun said that most erring riders were alien to the union, saying that the union was concerned about flagrant disregard of law by some motorists and riders. 

He also urged the government to carry the transport union along in the constitution of the task force for the enforcement of the law.

The Lagos State Government will continue to enforce its traffic laws to maintain sanity on roads and save lives. 

The State Environment and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce) will keep enhancing the enforcement of the Lagos Traffic Law 2018 with which it has been checking the excesses of commercial motorcyclists and others who drive against oncoming traffic and ply restricted routes. The action is to halt the resurgence of impunity and violation of traffic regulations.

Amid the enforcement, which began on Tuesday, commercial motorcyclists have taken laws into their hands and attacked the Task Force team, injuring officers carrying out their lawful duties. The perpetrators of this violence will be identified and made to face the law.

However, the officers were undeterred by the criminal activities of the motorcyclists; 131 motorcycles were seized; 15 riders arrested and prosecuted; and 150 vehicles impounded in various areas of the State.

The Task Force subsequently arraigned and prosecuted 35 drivers of impounded vehicles, who had to forfeit their cars to the State for driving against oncoming traffic; 62 drivers who plied the BRT Corridor were fined N70,000 each; and 28 tricycle owners were also arraigned in court.

The Task Force was again attacked in Ikeja, on Wednesday. It retreated to avoid an escalation of the crisis. The team, however, mobilised more personnel to quell the riots started by the riders.

Traffic enforcement agencies will continue to assert their authority. They have been directed to arraign and prosecute all violators to ensure that penalties are apportioned in consonance with the law.

For the avoidance of doubt, commercial motorcycles and tricycles remain restricted from operating in six Local Governments and nine Local Council Development Areas – Apapa LG; Lagos Mainland LG; Surulere LG; Ikeja LG; Eti-Osa LG; Lagos Island LG; Onigbongbo LCDA; Ojodu LCDA; Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA; Iru-Victoria Island LCDA; Lagos Island East LCDA; Apapa Iganmu LCDA; Yaba LCDA; Itire-Ikate LCDA; and Coker-Aguda LCDA.

The Lagos State Government will continue to dialogue with stakeholders in the transportation sector – NURTW, RTEAN, ANACOWA, TOOAN, TODAL and MOALS – to restore sanity on Lagos roads and halt the disregard for the Lagos Traffic Law (2018).

Gbenga Omotoso

Commissioner for Information and Strategy

Governors under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) on Tuesday visited Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to commiserate with him and the people of Lagos State over the recent destruction of public and private properties in the State in the aftermath of the  youth protests. 
Speaking to journalists after a closed door session with Governor Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos House, Marina, the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu, on behalf of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for demonstrating leadership during the protests. 
The Progressives Governors Forum delegation to Lagos State comprised Bagudu; Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong and Jigawa State Governor, Muhammed Badaru. 
Governor Bagudu said the APC governors are committed to good governance and making life comfortable for youths in Nigeria. “We want our young men and women to have fulfilling jobs and opportunities both locally and internationally. But this will take continuous engagement and dialogue,” he said.  
The PGF chairman said they decided to visit Governor Sanwo-Olu to encourage him and his team and to further show solidarity with the people of Lagos State. 
He said: “We come to encourage our colleague and his team and to further show solidarity with the people of Lagos that we are all in it together. This evening Governor Sanwo-Olu showed us some of the pictures of some of the devastating damages that were caused by the violence. And it is very clear that violence does not solve any problem; it compounds it. 
“Today Lagos has further taken a loss because of that violence that has attacked everything; police stations, cultural institutions, two palaces and public facilities, loss of lives and other incidents. It is now very clear that the wise people of Lagos and all of us have known better that yes, our young persons have the right to express their feelings, we have to dialogue with them.  But also as ambassadors of the family at different respective families and parents, we also have to appreciate that we are in it all together. 
“You are not alone; we support them. We went to give them the support of a united strong country so that they can go into the world with pride. But they have seen how nobility of any course can be overtaken by those who otherwise have agendas that are contrary to what they thought they are out to achieve. 
“So, I believe that there is a lesson for all of us and as a country, we need to do more quickly. We are doing well but this is a course that we must do more. In the last six years, Nigeria has had one of the most devastating slow down in the economic activities because of the combination of commodity prices collapse, which is further aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic in the country. But yet Nigeria’s response has led to a drop in the GDP by less than seven per cent, which is one of the best in Africa and indeed in the world.  There are countries where slowdown in the economy activity has been close to 40 per cent per quarter with unemployment.” 
The Progressives Governors’ Forum also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu’s leadership in Lagos State during the protests. “We encourage our brother and commend him for the leadership he demonstrated visiting all the hospitals. He was with the youths; he presented their requests to Mr. President. He mobilised his team to respond as kindly, gently and energetically as possible. We must appreciate him. 
“He has remained committed till date. The panel (Judicial Panel of Enquiry) he set up is making progress and they are independent. The truth is coming out gradually; it is evolving. So we encourage him. We appreciate the people of Lagos and we are glad that when we came in today, we saw economic activities, the resilience of Lagosians moving in. That is quite commendable and we believe that Lagos will get back its groove and mobilise the nation,” the governors said.