Lagos Govt Set to Auction 53 Vehicles Impounded for Traffic Offences ...As task force awaits directives on 7,350 impounded motorcycles

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) on Wednesday concluded arrangements to auction 53 vehicles that were impounded for various traffic offences.

While 31 vehicles were impounded and forfeited to the state for illegally plying one way, 22 others were those that were seized and abandoned for over six months at the taskforce’s yard. 

It was gathered that the 31 vehicles were forfeited to the state government following conviction at the mobile court. 

Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that owners of the impounded vehicles who abandoned their cars have contravened the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, stating that public notice has been issued for owners of both the court forfeited and abandoned cars to identify their vehicles at the agency’s car parks in Ikorodu and Bolade-Oshodi.

"At the expiration of the one month verification exercise, the agency shall apply to the court for an order of 'Public Auction' where members of the public would have opportunity to buy any of these vehicles”, the chairman said.

Egbeyemi clarified that the owners of the vehicles forfeited to the government pleaded guilty before Magistrate Omobola Salawu of the Lagos State Mobile Court at Oshodi after their arrest for driving against traffic.

He affirmed that in addition to forfeiture of the vehicles, each traffic offender was sentenced to 100 days 'Community Service' at any public institution.

The chairman, however, maintained that with the state government’s zero-tolerance for violation of the law, the agency will continue to prosecute traffic offenders until sanity is restored on our roads and law-abiding citizens are allowed to commute without being impeded by unlawful individuals.

Meanwhile, he also confirmed that over 7350 impounded motorcycles are presently in custody of the agency for plying restricted routes, including highways and bridges across the state.

He stated that the agency is awaiting further directive from the government in respect of the impounded motorcycles.

He clarified that the motorcyclists were apprehended around restricted routes like Agege, Pen-Cinema, Apapa, Ikorodu, Mile 2, Obalende, Oyingbo, 2nd Rainbow, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ojota, Maryland, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikorodu Road, Apongbon, Ikeja and Iyana-Ipaja.