Lagos to auction 88 vehicles caught driving ‘one-way’

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit has said it will auction a total of 88 vehicles forfeited by the Lagos State Mobile Court for driving against traffic.

This is contained in a statement released by Taofeek Adebayo, the spokesperson of the agency.

Mr Adebayo said the agency has “obtained a ‘Court Order’ authorising it for a Public Auction of 88 one-way vehicles forfeited by Lagos State Mobile Court.”

Shola Jejeloye, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) who is the chairperson of the taskforce, disclosed that the 88 vehicles to be auctioned by the government were impounded by the enforcement team of the agency for driving against traffic (one-way) at different parts of the state.

“They were all arraigned and forfeited by court in line with Part (3) item (27) of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reformed Law of 2018”

Mr Jejeloye confirmed that the public auction would hold in line with COVID-19 protocols on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at the agency’s car park, Alausa, Ikeja.

He urged motorists to desist from driving against traffic as the penalty is outright forfeiture of such vehicle to the government without any option of fine.

He also reiterated the state government’s zero-tolerance for the violation of the law under any guise.

He said operatives of the agency will continue to prosecute traffic offenders until sanity is restored on the roads and law-abiding citizens are allowed to commute without being impeded by unlawful individuals.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Lagos State Mobile Court, Arinola Banjoko, confirmed that owners/drivers of the 88 forfieted vehicles were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Micheal Olubi, Magistrate Lateef Layeni, Magistrate Oyebimbola Israel Adelakun, Magistrate Ibidun Abina and Magistrate Shakirat Obasa, the statement contained.

The official hinted that other traffic offenders caught plying BRT corridors or those causing obstructions to other road users  were also arraigned and fined by a mobile court in Oshodi.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how 44 vehicles were similarly auctioned by the agency in November 2020.

In a bid to sanitise the state, Mr Jejeloye said operatives of the Lagos taskforce will continue the enforcement of traffic laws.