ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Some of the protesters

Some of the protesters

Activists protest Lagos ‘draconian’ traffic fines

byIfeoluwa Adediran
August 1, 2019
3 min read

Dozens of civil society activists on Thursday marched along some major roads in Ikeja, the Lagos capital, to protest the new executive order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on traffic laws and penalties for offences in the state.

The protesters, led by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), described the governor’s order as “unfair.

Olatunde Owoeye, the vice president of CDHR, Lagos Branch, condemned the governor’s decision to issue the executive order.

“There are potholes and bad roads everywhere and there has not been any attempt to repair it and you are issuing an executive order,” Mr Owoeye told PREMIUM TIMES.

“Even what FRSC is charging for fine is far lesser than what Lagos State government is charging. Are they telling us they are superior to the federal government?”

WhatsApp Image 2019-08-01 at 2.57.24 PM

“We are trying to decongest the prison but the Lagos State government keeps congesting the prison by criminalising minor offences.”

In his first executive order signed on May 30, Mr Sanwo-Olu charged the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to ensure strict compliance by motorists of all extant traffic rules and regulations as prescribed in the enabling law.

But the protesters argued that most roads in the state are ridden with potholes and the governor ought to have prioritised that. They also stated that the fines imposed by the state for traffic offences are exorbitant.

“Draconian laws are made and enforced on the poor masses,” said Funmi Ajayi, a representative of the Grassroot Women Initiative.

RelatedNews

In Lagos, traffic robbers run amok in broad daylight

INVESTIGATIONS: Inside the deadly herders-farmers crises in Ogun, worsened by ‘compromised’ soldiers

Groups identify Nigeria’s major impediment to meeting family planning targets

Lekki Tollgate Shooting: At least 10 people killed – Witness

“The laws are inhumane. Not only the drivers are affected, it affected all Lagosians, even the market women. When you impound like 10 commercial buses, the little ones on the street will hike their price.”

The peaceful protest started at the headquarters of Ikeja local government area and the protesters marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly with banners and placards saying ‘No to SANWO OLU draconian order on traffic offences and State Traffic Rules.

Olatunji Mayowa, a commercial bus driver plying the Ikeja-Secretariat route, narrated his experience with LASTMA officials to journalists.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

“I was arrested by LASTMA officials on Monday at Coca Cola bus stop in Alausa, Ikeja. They said I did not place my hackney permit on my windscreen and was fined ₦20,000.”

“My vehicle was seized, they called my offence ‘non-placement of hackney permit and they took my bus to their office at Agidingbi. I went to borrow the 20,000 from colleagues. I have not been able to work since Monday.”

Alex Omotehinse, the president of CDHR, Lagos branch, while addressing the representatives of the state House of Assembly said that CDHR had written to the lawmakers earlier but got no response, which was why they resorted to the protest.

“Wherever there is a law that is affecting the people negatively, we are bound to complain,” Mr Omotehinse said.

“Every law made in this state is an avenue for security agencies to extort Lagosians.

“On traffic offences, the issue of impounding of vehicles and imprisonment of offenders on minor offences is a challenge.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr Omotehinse also said there are five state prisons in Lagos state with a total capacity of 3,520 but as at April when CDHR visited them, there had 9,216 inmates.

“Our prisons are congested already and we don’t need traffic offenders to add to the numbers in our prison.”

Some of the demands by the protesters include a reversal and reduction of the traffic fines, cancellation of prison terms for offenders and impounding of vehicles, warning and freeing of first-time offenders, immediate repair of traffic lights and roads in the state, and de-congesting of the prisons.

Tunde Braimoh, a member of the House of Assembly and the chairman, House Committee on Public Protest, who addressed the protesters said their petition would be addressed by the House.

“There is a need for law and order in Lagos,” he said.

“An order is still better than no order, the way we are headed, it is as though orderliness has broken down. Fines are not imposed on offenders just because we want to make economic gains from the situation.”

“FRSC is responsible for the whole of Nigeria, how many vehicles are available to some states? Lagos has a critical challenge when it comes to traffic because of the sheer number of vehicles available to Lagos.”

Mr Braimoh said the “peculiar problems in Lagos demand a peculiar solution.”

WhatsApp Image 2019-08-01 at 2.57.27 PM

“There must be punitive measures, resistance and deterrent to aberrant behaviours. This is why ₦2,000 or ₦5, 000 fine is like a slap on the wrist.

“Government will not do anything with those vehicles that are impounded, government will not do anything with that ₦100,000 they are taking. The government takes money from responsible means that are empirical and can be given by data. Those are just miscellaneous items that we don’t even budget on.”

Adebisi Yusuf, a House of Assembly member, admonished the protesters to educate the people at the grassroots on the need to obey laws and orders in the society.

Below is a comparison of fines for traffic offences levied by FRSC vs Lagos State government:

Offences FRSC FINE LAGOS STATE FINE

1. Driving without a drivers licence: ₦10,000 Impound of Vehicle

2. Exceeding speed limit: ₦3,000 ₦100,000

3. Disobeying traffic light: ₦2,000 ₦100,000

4. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs: ₦5,000 ₦100,000

5. Willful obstruction of the highway: ₦3,000 ₦50,000

6. Driving without seat belt on: ₦2,000 ₦20,000

7. Making calls/receiving text messages while driving: ₦4,000 ₦20,000

8. Staying within the yellow junction box : ₦5,000 ₦30,000

9. Vehicle causing obstruction on the highway (if broken down): ₦50,000 ₦5,000

10. Driving without road worthiness: ₦20,000 Impound vehicle

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (1)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Oyo govt. demolishes five shops, seals up petrol station for violating environmental law

Next Post

Police nab operators of illegal Micro finance bank, recover money

Ifeoluwa Adediran

Ifeoluwa Adediran

More News

Ajima Ogbole-Spittael and Susan Ogbole

How Belgian hospital ‘mistakenly’ amputated cervix, paralysed two Nigerian women

April 18, 2021
Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), OFR [PHOTO CREDIT: @ndlea_nigeria]

NDLEA intercepts 834.5kg illicit drugs en-route U.S. in Lagos

April 18, 2021
telecoms mast

How telecom mast is causing distress to Badagry family

April 18, 2021
The main gate of the Federal University, Oye-ekiti (FUOYE)

FUOYE offers indigent students N3.1 million insurance scheme

April 18, 2021
NUJ logo

NUJ re-affirms authenticity of caretaker committee to run Ogun council affairs

April 18, 2021
FILE: Traffic gridlock at Mile12 on Ikorodu Road in Lagos on Thursday (2/8/18).

In Lagos, traffic robbers run amok in broad daylight

April 18, 2021
Next Post
Nigerian Police on patrol

Police nab operators of illegal Micro finance bank, recover money

Map of Libya

Libya seeks Nigeria's help to restore peace

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,653,672 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
    • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.