The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) captured 38,000 vehicles for various traffic offenses using its Traffic Management Solution (TMS) devices during the second quarter of 2026.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this on Sunday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), highlighting the agency’s deliberate transition toward automation.
“LASTMA is trying to move from physical enforcement to technology-driven enforcement, and that is why we captured more vehicles with technology in the second quarter of the year,” Bakare-Oki stated.
Physical Enforcement Continues Alongside Tech
Despite the technological push, LASTMA still apprehended more than 3,000 vehicles through physical enforcement during the same period. According to Bakare-Oki, physical operations targeted critical offenses disrupting the free flow of traffic, including:
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Driving against traffic (one-way)
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Illegal use of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane
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Indiscriminate parking and failure to use designated bus stops
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Failure to wear seat belts
Legal Recourse and Mobile Courts
Drivers caught by the TMS devices are being issued court papers once sufficient photographic or video evidence of the violation is established.
The LASTMA boss emphasized that the agency does not directly fine motorists. Instead, offenders are processed through the Lagos State Mobile Court, which holds the sole authority to convict or issue fines.
“We encourage them to appear at the Lagos State Mobile Court to be given a fair hearing,” Bakare-Oki said. He added that motorists who wish to skip litigation can sign a waiver form at LASTMA’s Legal Department, relinquishing their right to a trial after paying the prescribed penalty.
Joint Clean-Up on Lagos-Badagry Expressway
Bakare-Oki also revealed that a massive, multi-agency joint enforcement operation is currently underway along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The crackdown follows a direct order from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the recent monthly environmental sanitation exercise. The inter-agency task force, comprising LASTMA, LAWMA, KAI, the IRS Task Force, and the Ministry of Environment commenced work last week to clear trash, towed abandoned vehicles, and remove all road encumbrances. (NAN)
