Joy Anyim
The Lagos State Mobile Court has ordered the forfeiture of 31 vehicles to the state government, for driving against traffic (one-way) in Lagos.
The Court made the pronouncement after the 31 defendants (drivers) pleaded ‘Guilty’ to the ‘One-way’ traffic offense charged against them.
Forty-three other drivers were also arraigned before the court for plying the BRT corridors and causing road obstruction.
According to the Mobile Court, “These arraigned 31 drivers were charged for driving in the direction prohibited by Law (One-way) punishable under Part (III) item 27 of the ‘Lagos State Transport Sector Reformed Law of 2018 and have been penalized accordingly”.
“ The 43 drivers arraigned for plying the BRT corridors and causing road obstructions were ordered to pay fines to the government in accordance with the Law and severity of their offense.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Taskforce), Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), confirmed at total of 160 traffic offenders were arraigned.
He said that out of the160 arraigned traffic offenders including those apprehended for driving against traffic (One-way) only 74 had so far appeared before the court.
While urging the remaining 86 offenders to appear before the court immediately, the Chairman said the Agency acted in response to series of complaints from members of the public particularly motorists.
“Some motorists had complained that activities of one-way drivers were causing serious traffic gridlock on daily basis since the #EndSARS protest across the State.
“It is painful that with a high level of enlightenment campaigns and several warnings by the government, motorists including private car owners are still driving against traffic knowing fully well that the penalty for such offense is outright forfeiture of the said vehicle to the government, ” Egbeyemi said.