.impounds over 17,169 vehicles for Traffic Infractions; arrests 760 One-Way offenders
By Our Reporter
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) over the weekend announced remarkable progress in its sustained crusade to fortify road safety standards and decisively curb traffic crashes across Lagos State, disclosing that no fewer than 1,075 injured accident victims were rescued by its officers during coordinated emergency interventions undertaken throughout the 2025 operational year.
The Authority, in a release issued by its
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, revealed that these rescue operations were executed across critical traffic corridors through rapid incident response frameworks, robust inter-agency synergy and the strategic deployment of personnel to high-risk flashpoints, thereby ensuring that victims of road mishaps received prompt and lifesaving assistance.
According to the statement, operational statistics further indicate that LASTMA’s intensified enforcement drive culminated in the impoundment of 5,581 private vehicles for diverse traffic infractions, while 10,825 commercial vehicles were similarly apprehended for violations ranging from reckless driving and overloading to obstruction, mechanical deficiencies and flagrant disregard for extant traffic regulations.
In addition, the Authority confirmed the apprehension of 760 vehicles for one-way violations, an infraction consistently identified as a major precipitating factor in catastrophic collisions and avoidable fatalities on Lagos roadways.
Speaking on the development, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bakare-Oki Olalekan, observed that these figures reflected a deliberate transition toward proactive traffic governance anchored on the deployment of modern technology, intelligence-driven enforcement and sustained public enlightenment designed to recalibrate motorists’ behaviour and entrench a culture of civic responsibility on the roads.
He emphasised that LASTMA personnel remained at the vanguard of emergency response operations, frequently exposing themselves to operational hazards in order to rescue injured victims, secure crash scenes, restore traffic fluidity and coordinate seamlessly with medical and rescue agencies to avert secondary incidents.
The LASTMA boss explained that a significant proportion of the rescued victims were involved in crashes precipitated by excessive speed, mechanical failure, fatigue, impaired driving and hazardous manoeuvres such as driving against traffic behaviours that continue to erode collective road safety gains.
Bakare-Oki further stated that the impoundment of offending vehicles constitutes a central component of a broader deterrence architecture designed to compel compliance, withdraw unsafe vehicles from circulation and reinforce the inviolability of traffic laws as indispensable safeguards for lives and property.
LASTMA boss expressed particular concern over the persistence of one-way violations, describing it as an egregious practice capable of triggering head-on collisions with devastating consequences, just as he noted that the apprehension of 860 offenders underscores the Agency’s uncompromising stance against actions that imperil other road users.
He reiterated that enforcement alone cannot deliver enduring safety outcomes without the active cooperation of motorists, transport unions, fleet operators and the wider public, saying that consequently, LASTMA had continued to amplify advocacy initiatives, stakeholder engagement platforms and targeted sensitisation campaigns aimed at promoting voluntary compliance.
According to him, comprehensive operational reviews conducted throughout the year indicate that rapid rescue interventions by LASTMA played a pivotal role in mitigating injury severity, preventing fatalities and facilitating the swift restoration of traffic normalcy following crash incidents.
The General Manager stressed that the Authority’s strategic framework prioritises prevention, early identification of risk indicators and immediate incident response, a triad he described as indispensable to managing mobility within the dynamic ecosystem of a rapidly expanding megacity.
He added that LASTMA’s evolving operational philosophy integrates technology-driven monitoring, intelligence-led deployment, continuous officer training/ retraining, and strengthened collaboration with emergency responders to enhance institutional effectiveness.
Bakare-Oki, while acknowledging the progress recorded, maintained that road safety remains a collective obligation, urging motorists to adhere to speed limits, maintain vehicle roadworthiness, desist from one-way driving and respect lawful directives issued by traffic officers.
This was just as he reaffirmed LASTMA's resolve to sustain enforcement momentum, deepen public enlightenment efforts and deploy forward-looking strategies capable of addressing emerging transportation challenges across the State.
He, however, assured residents of LASTMA's unwavering commitment to lifesaving interventions, disciplined enforcement, and behavioural reorientation in its efforts to continue to deliver measurable reductions in traffic crashes while enhancing safety outcomes for all road users.
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