Lagos begins clampdown on unregistered commercial buses, arrests 200

The Lagos State Vehicles Inspection Services on Wednesday arrested no fewer than 200 commercial bus drivers who had yet to register  their vehicles as directed by the state government.
The government gave commercial bus drivers in the state a deadline of January 1 to register their vehicles.
The state Chief VIS Officer, AbdulHafiz Toriola, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the arrest became necessary after the expiration of a two-month ultimatum to the drivers.
Toriola said: “We started the enforcement since January 1 when the ultimatum expired.
“This will continue except there is a contrary directive from the government.
“Most commercial motorists did not comply with the directive.”
Toriola urged all commercial bus drivers in the state to comply with the registration to prevent impounding of their vehicles.
According to him, every commercial vehicle driver without the state’s operation licence will be arrested.
The Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Tajudeen Agbede, had on Monday appealed to the government to extend the ultimatum by two months.
Agbede said that the extension would enable more drivers to comply with the directive.
Agbede made the appeal when he led more than 300 commercial bus drivers for the registration at the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute.
He told the Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Ayodele Oyedokun, that two months were inadequate to get all commercial buses registered.
He said: “I have directed all executive members across branches to come out for the registration.
“It is when the leaders register that we will be able to enforce it on members.
“There is no excuse for anybody.
“It is mandatory for all members to cooperate.”
The Lagos State Chairman of the Road Transport Employers’ Association, Olorode Adefowope, also said that the union was making efforts to ensure that all its members complied with the directive.
Adefowope equally appealed for extension of the exercise.
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation began the registration of commercial vehicles and their drivers on November 1, 2013.
The exercise ended on December 31, 2013.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, said at a recent meeting with transport service providers in Lagos that the registration was for efficiency, safety, security and better services.
Other things introduced by the ministry are commuter bus routing scheme, commercial passenger vehicle licencing and corporate outlook for transport operators (use of uniforms and badges).
The ministry also introduced insurance for all commercial passenger vehicles on Lagos State roads.