By Olasunkanmi Akoni
LAGOS — In a renewed effort to curb traffic violations and restore sanity to Lagos roads, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has impounded 235 vehicles and arrested 10 suspects during a sweeping enforcement operation across the state.
The crackdown, which took place amid heavy rainfall, comes as President Bola Tinubu visits Lagos for a series of official state engagements and project commissioning.
Led by LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the operation kicked off on Thursday and targeted traffic hotspots including Oyingbo, Iddo, Eja-Lonibu, Adeniji Adele, Sabo, Jibowu (Inter-State Terminal), and Oshodi—areas notorious for chronic congestion, indiscriminate parking, and general traffic lawlessness.
Bakare-Oki described the enforcement as part of a broader initiative to reestablish order and discipline within the state’s transportation system.
“During the initial phase of enforcement, no fewer than 235 vehicles were impounded for various violations of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018,” he said. The breakdown of the impounded vehicles includes: 38 private cars, 156 commercial Volkswagen buses (Danfo), 19 minibuses/tricycles (Korope), 5 haulage trucks and 17 inter-state passenger buses.
The offences ranged from illegal parking on pedestrian paths, obstruction of traffic flow, and creation of unauthorized terminals to blatant disregard for traffic rules.
In one extreme case, five articulated trucks were caught offloading livestock—including rams and cows—along with abattoir waste atop the Adeniji Adele Bridge. Bakare-Oki described the act as a “grave environmental offence” that endangered public safety and the structural integrity of the bridge. The offending drivers will be prosecuted.
The crackdown, he said, followed a directive from the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, to implement a coordinated strategy to address systemic indiscipline in the state’s transport sector.
“This operation spans all five administrative divisions of Lagos—Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe. LASTMA and partner agencies are deploying a mix of regulatory, logistical, and digital tools to reclaim our roadways from lawlessness.”
All impounded vehicles and arrested suspects will face prosecution at the Lagos State Mobile Court, Bakare-Oki confirmed.
“The era of impunity on our roads is over. This is not an attack on any group or commercial sector. It is a necessary step to fix a broken system. We urge every road user to see this as a call to civic responsibility.”
He also warned that any vehicle found violating traffic rules—such as illegal parking, obstructing traffic, or driving against traffic—will be impounded without exception.
LASTMA urged the public to report traffic infractions, environmental offenses, or misconduct by its personnel via the agency’s toll-free hotline: 080000527862. The agency assured that all valid complaints will receive swift and appropriate action.
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