The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) has refuted the claim that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, banned officials of the agency from arresting errant motorists.
The agency clarified that the governor did not say that LASTMA has to only manage traffic in the state.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, in a statement on Friday, described the claim as fake news and the handiwork of faceless mischief makers, adding that the agency was empowered by law to arrest traffic violators in the state.
He said the claim by the mischief makers had been repeatedly circulated online since February 2020, despite being severally refuted by the management of LASTMA.
He, however, warned Lagosians, especially motorists, to be wary of online reports aimed at causing chaos and mischief in society.
Adebayo said, “The attention of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been drawn to the recurring fake news circulating on social media, purported to have been said by the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that, henceforth, no LASTMA officials should arrest any motorist, either commercial or private.
“The duty of LASTMA is to manage traffic and not to arrest. The General Manager of the agency, Bolaji Oreagba, had previously debunked the fake online news alleging that LASTMA officials were banned from arresting motorists who flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
“Mr Oreagba explained that the false report, which is the handiwork of faceless mischief makers, has been repeatedly circulated online since February 2020, despite being severally refuted by management of LASTMA.”
According to the statement, the general manager wondered why some individuals choose to always mislead others to contravene the traffic law of the state as amended by the state House of Assembly in 2018.
Adebayo hinted that Oreagba said part of the agency’s responsibility was to uphold and enforce the traffic laws of the state, maintaining that the officers and men of LASTMA would not hesitate to enforce those laws whenever violated to transform the state’s transportation system towards ensuring the free flow of traffic and reducing road accidents.
“The motoring public is advised to ignore and disregard all fake news circulated by faceless individuals and designed to lead them into breaking the traffic law of the state,” Oreagba was quoted to have said in the statement, adding that all the working ethics of the authority, including all its operations were being regulated by laws.
Adebayo said the GM confirmed that the agency was currently operating with modern technological innovations in addressing traffic challenges by equipping traffic management personnel with new hand-held traffic management solution devices that capture real-time traffic violations on the road, in addition to a signalised intersection and junction improvement.
Some days ago, LASTMA deployed officials to monitor traffic around filling stations across the state as queues worsen.
LASTMA General Manager, Mr Bolaji Oreagba said the deployment became imperative following reports of long queues around filling stations caused by motorists parking indiscriminately and blocking roads while queuing up to buy fuel.
He said, “Buying fuel is not an excuse to block and impede traffic flow across the state.”
