The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Bolaji Oreagba, says the authority’s major function is to control traffic, but its duties also include enforcement of the traffic laws.
The General Manager of LASTMA stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday.
Oreagba was reacting to allegations of excesses by some of its officials in carrying out their duties on Lagos roads.
The General Manager said that in doing its job, its men were not mandated to arrest violators of traffic laws but to “apprehend” their vehicles. He said: “We don’t arrest, we apprehend vehicles of violators of the traffic laws.
“The only occasion where we arrest people has to do with when anyone assaults our officers, and it will not be immediate arrest at that particular time.
“There must be video evidence to show that the officer is truly assaulted, and arrest is later by the police.
“One of the commercial drivers on the 20th of March defecated on his hand but was not arrested at the moment, but his vehicle was apprehended immediately.
“The offender was later arrested on 4th of July while he was immediately taken to the court for prosecution.
“So, we don’t arrest offenders.”
Oreagba said that if an officer apprehended a vehicle, the owner would like to come to LASTMA office to claim the vehicle.
The LASTMA boss said that the authority had the legal authority to dispossess the offender of the vehicle, to move it to its yard or tow the vehicle to avoid traffic on the highway.
He said that the Lagos State Government had installed a technology that would capture traffic infringement to enhance LASTMA’s operations.
Oreagba said that the authority had stationed cameras, body cameras and Traffic Management Devices at traffic points.
“The Traffic Management Device does recording and goes directly to the control room immediately it finishes recording,” he said.
Oreagba said that the device had the ability to scan number plates, and if there was an unsettled violation, the device would give details.
According to him, failure to settle such violation will result in the vehicle being impounded.
He urged drivers and general road users to be compliant with traffic laws to make the smart city vision achievable in Lagos.
The General Manager gave an insight into fines payable for offences committed by motorists.
He said: “Excerpt from the Lagos State Transport Reforms Law 2018 indicates that driving without driver’s license attracts fine of N20,000, driving by underage attracts fines ranging from N20,000 to N30,000.
“Learner driver without permit, learner driving on highway, driving with fake number plate, driving with forged driver’s license attract same fine of N20,000 to N30,000.
“Disobeying traffic control personnel, neglect of traffic direction, smoking, drinking, eating while driving, attract N20,000 to N30,000, while operating vehicle within restricted routes or beyond approved hour attract fine of N50,000.00 and also impounding of vehicle or six months imprisonment.
“Physical assault on traffic personnel attracts N100,000, driving a trailer or other vehicle carrying containers unlatched and not properly secured attracts N250,000 fine.”
Oreagba stated that the authority does not condone excesses by its personnel.
In March, LASTMA said that some officers of the agency who were found culpable of gross misconduct while performing their official duties had faced disciplinary action.
It said this was in line with the extant rules as guided by the Lagos State Civil Service Rules and Regulations.
It said that the Personnel Management Board (Disciplinary), which was held to look into reported misconduct of the officers, considered the allegation of bribery, corruption and serious act unbecoming of a Public Officer levelled against them.
According to the agency, it found some officers culpable of serious misconduct as stated in the public service rule.
It said that LASTMA could only get better, if and when members of the public share their experiences, which also include positive ones, and provide evidences where applicable of perceived misdemeanors.
It said that six officers faced disciplinary action from September to December 2021.
Two of the officers, according to the agency, had their appointments terminated, while four suffered reduction in rank along with reprimand for their various misdemeanors.