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The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) has informed motorists in Lagos that it is fully empowered by the law to carry out the arrest of traffic violators in the state.
The agency stated this while debunking claims that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has banned the arrest of erring motorists by LASTMA officials.
While clearing the air on the alleged directive by the governor, the traffic management agency insisted that its responsibilities extend beyond just controlling traffic.
This was contained in a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, on Friday, June 9, 2023.
The statement was a response to a resurfaced rumour that first originated in 2020, claiming Sanwo-Olu has asked told the agency to desist from arresting traffic offenders.
LASTMA stated that the report was fake news being perpetuated by faceless mischief makers, warning Lagos motorists to be wary of online reports aimed at causing chaos in society.
The statement read, “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.”
As captured in the statement, the General Manager wondered what is the motive behind some individuals' penchant to always mislead others to contravene the traffic law of the state as amended by the state House of Assembly in 2018.
Adebayo said Oreagba has stressed that part of the agency's responsibilities was to uphold and enforce the state's traffic laws, maintaining that LASTMA officers would not cease to encore those laws whenever violated.
The General Manager was quoted as saying, “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.”