Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) in a joint traffic law enforcement operation with the Lagos State Mobile Court on Monday tried 15 traffic offenders and impounded their vehicles for various offences.
Led by the chairman, Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye; and the Coordinator, Lagos State Mobile Court, Mrs. Arinola Ogbara-Banjoko, the joint operation impounded vehicles along the Lagos-Abeokuta BRT corridor and Ikeja Under Bridge, Ikeja.
About 10 vehicles were impounded for plying the BRT corridor. They were tried at the Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Five Lagos colour commercial buses impounded for willfully obstructing traffic at Ikeja Under Bridge were tried at the Allen Bus Stop.
The chairman of the taskforce, CSP Jejeloye, said the operation was aimed at reducing traffic offences in the metropolis, noting that it is worrisome the way motorists abuse the use of the BRT lane.
He pointed out that apart from BRT buses, operational vehicles and ambulances with patients in emergencies are allowed to ply the BRT lane, but that all manners of people use one excuse or the other to drive on the BRT lane.
The coordinator of the Lagos Mobile Court, Mrs Arinola Ogbara-Banjoko, stated that the joint operation would hold weekly and is aimed at minimizing traffic offences on the roads.
She added that safety on the road is crucial in a megacity like Lagos, stressing that offences like driving against traffic are serious offences that should not be taken lightly.
Vehicles impounded with their drivers tried included: FST 749 EE (Mitsubishi Montero); JJJ 228 DU (Mercedes S500); KTU 115 BM (Space Bus); three unregistered Volkswagen buses; EKY 346 DY (Honda Accord); KRD 493 FA (Toyota Corolla); FKJ 736 DY (Honda Accord); LND 371 FE (Sienna); KSF 520 BD (Corolla); KJA 742 DY (Toyota Solara); KL 579 AAA (Land Rover); MUS 19 BW (JAC Truck) and SLK 778 GC (Toyota Sienna).
The offences the vehicles were charged with, according to Femi Moliki, Head, Press and Public Relations, include driving on BRT lane, obstruction, driving with expired vehicle papers, and no registration.