Lagos Traffic Law Gazetted, Enforcement Begins

The Lagos State Government has finally gazetted the new Road Traffic Law and is now ready to enforce the provisions of the law.

After the law was enacted recently, commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Lagos, Ade Ipaye had said that the government would wait for the new law to be gazetted before it would start enforcement across Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Gazetted copies of the new law are being distributed to various arms of government, judiciary, House of Assembly, government parastatals, courts, among others to ensure adequate circulation.

With the law being gazetted, enforcement of the ban on okada riders from plying 475 roads across the state would soon commence.

Also, officials of the state government, led by the Deputy Governor, Joke Orelope-Adefulire will address a stakeholders’ meeting today comprising Community Development Associations, CDAs, traditional rulers, community leaders, among others.

At the meeting, the stakeholders will be sensitised on the need to voluntarily comply with the provisions of the law, failure of which enforcement would commence in earnest.

Governor Babatunde Fashola had vowed that he would enforce the new traffic law to the letter and would not mind whose ox is gored.

The Lagos State Government had warned civil servants to obey the law as anyone who flouted it would be made to face the wrath of the law, and warned officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA to desist from taking bribe as anyone caught would be sacked.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Justice, Lanre Akinsola told P.M.NEWS that the new law had been gazetted and that government would commence enforcement of the law soon.

He said after the law was signed by the governor, it became binding on all but that the government wanted to sensitise the public through advocacy, which was why the enforcement was delayed.

Lagos Traffic Law: Things You Must Not Do

•Driving against traffic (one way drive) – One year imprisonment (1st offender) 3 years imprisonment (repeated offender). Seized vehicle to be forfeited to government.

•Driving unlincensed or unregistered vehicle – N20,000 fine for first offender, N30,000 or 3 year jail or both for repeated offenders.

•Trailers banned from entering or travelling within Lagos metropolis from 6 a.m till 9 p.m. – N50,000 fine or 6 months jail, vehicle to be impounded.

•Neglect of traffic signs, traffic light – 1 year jail and forfeiture of vehicle for first offender and 3 years imprisonment and forfeiture for repeated offenders

•Driving and making phone calls or eating – N20,000 for first offender and 3 years imprisonment or N30,000 or both for repeated offenders.

•NURTW and other unions also outlawed from collecting money at the motor parks.

•Riding commercial motorcycle (Okada) on 496 major roads – N20,000 fine for first offender, N30,000 or 3 years jail or both for repeated offender.

• Carrying a pregnant woman on Okada – 3 years imprisonment and forfeiture of Okada

• Carrying a passenger with load on his/her head on Okada– 3 years imprisonment and forfeiture of Okada, passengers will also be prosecuted.

•Carrying a child below age 12 on Okada – 3 years imprisonment

• Other highlights include ban on sale of alcohol 100 metres to a motor park. Sale of goods and  begging for alms on the roads are prohibited.

•Where the law did not state a specific penalty, a fine of N20,000 will be imposed on first offenders and N30,000 or 3 years imprisonment or both for subsequent offenders.