The Lagos State Government has impounded 28 vehicles at Berger bus stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for illegally turning a designated layby into a makeshift garage.
This move was part of a broader traffic enforcement effort by the Ministry of Transportation and the State’s task force to improve traffic flow and public order. The update was shared on the Ministry’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday.
In a statement posted on the Lagos Ministry of Transportation’s X account on Saturday, Commissioner for Transportation, Seun Osiyemi, explained that illegal parking had caused major traffic disruptions, and the impoundments were necessary to restore smooth traffic flow and ease commuter movement.
“The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Seun Osiyemi who hinted at this stated that 28 vehicles were impounded at the Berger bus stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (outbound Lagos) for illegally converting designated layby into a makeshift garage during the recent operation carried out to improve the traffic flow within the metropolis,” the statement read in part.
The statement further noted that Osiyemi reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding traffic regulations and ensuring that Lagos roads remain orderly and free from congestion.
He assured the public that similar enforcement drives would be conducted routinely across the state to prevent further illegal activities and maintain an efficient road network for all road users.
What you should know
In recent months, the Lagos State Government has ramped up enforcement drives across the state to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules and regulations, particularly among motorists.
- These efforts have led to the impoundment of numerous vehicles for various infractions, including the illegal conversion of lay-bys and walkways into motor parks, unauthorized stopping on highways, indiscriminate parking, and the use of public spaces as car showrooms.
- Nairametrics previously reported that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) impounded 9,370 vehicles for traffic violations between January and June 2024.
- As ignorance of the law is not a defense, the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 outlines several traffic violations that can result in vehicle impoundment.
- These violations include driving without a valid driver’s license, disobeying traffic personnel, learner drivers operating without a permit, and driving without a valid Ministry of Transport (MOT) Test Certificate or Certificate of roadworthiness.
- Commercial vehicles without a valid hackney permit or failing to display it, as well as those operating beyond approved hours or within restricted routes, are also subject to impoundment.
Additional violations include smoking, drinking, or eating while driving, failure to yield to pedestrians at zebra crossings, illegal parking, and the operation of trailers, tankers, or tippers without proper lighting or unsecured containers.
