The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the weekend, arrested a commercial bus driver, David Agiri, for driving with a stolen vehicle’s number plate, FKJ 875XC, at Oshodi, Lagos State.
The driver, while attempting to escape arrest, almost ran over the vehicle of LASTMA’s General Manager, Olawale Musa, as well as the vehicle of the monitoring team.
Agiri, who has been on the wanted list of the Agency since February 23, 2017, for driving against traffic at Iyana Iba on Lagos-Badagry Express Way, in contrast to the relevant sections of the Lagos State Traffic Laws which forbids driving in the direction of oncoming vehicles, had been evading arrest from the traffic officers.
However, in line with the policy of the Agency which forbids officers from pursuing fleeing vehicles, Agiri escaped arrest with the bus. But the long arm of the law later caught up with him when he was arrested with the same vehicle at Oshodi.
Further investigation of vehicle papers by LASTMA officials revealed that the vehicle number plates did not correspond with the vehicle documents as the number plates belong to a Port Harcourt resident with a different name and type of vehicle.
In addition, Agiri, who is a native of Badagry and a resident of Agbara town in Ogun State, was said to be a well-known serial traffic offender with penchant for driving against traffic.
Commenting on the incident, Musa said the Agency’s monitoring team on routine patrol of Lagos roads caught the driver of the unpainted commercial bus at Iyana-Iba driving against traffic and efforts to apprehend Agiri proved abortive as he mobilised social miscreants to attack the traffic officials.
Agiri, who has been handed over to the Nigeria Police, Mosafejo Division, for further investigation and appearances before the court of competent jurisdiction, confessed to flouting the traffic laws and also that the number plates found on the vehicle did not actually belong to him.
Speaking further, the LASTMA boss assured that the Agency would not relent in ensuring seamless flow of traffic in the State, adding that impunities by some motorists would also not be condoned.
According to Musa, the era of fragrant disobedience of traffic laws in the State was over for good.
Musa further warned the commercial bus drivers not to constitute themselves into a nuisance in the State as anybody caught violating the law would be dealt with accordingly.
It would be recalled that the Agency has begun series of monitoring and patrolling of major roads in the State in a bid to stem the activities of traffic law violators and maintain the existing orderliness and sanity being enjoyed by commuters in Lagos State.