By Collins Nkwocha, Lagos
No fewer than 15 drivers have been arraigned before the Lagos Mobile Court after their vehicles were impounded along Lagos Abeokuta BRT Corridor and Ikeja Under-Bridge, Ikeja for sundry traffic offences.
Of the 15 drivers, 10 were found by a joint traffic law enforcement operation to have plied the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor around Cement Bus Stop end of Lagos – Abeokuta Expressway while the other five, who were commercial bus operators, were intercepted by the law enforcement officers for wilfully obstructing traffic at Ikeja Under-Bridge.
The vehicles impounded with their drivers arraigned included: FST 749 EE (Mitsubishi Montero); JJJ 228 DU (Mercedes S500); KTU 115 BM (Space Bus); 3 unregistered Volkswagen buses and EKY 346 DY (Honda Accord).
Others were: KRD 493 FA (Toyota Corolla); FKJ 736 DY (Honda Accord); LND 371 FE (Sienna); KSF 520 BD (Corolla); KJA 742 DY (Toyota Solara); KL 579 AAA (Land Rover); MUS 19 BW (JAC Truck) and SLK 778 GC (Toyota Sienna).
After the court sittings in Cement and Allen Bus stops, where the drivers were slammed with different penalties, the coordinator of the Lagos Mobile Court, Arinola Ogbara-Banjoko, stated that the joint operation by the two agencies would henceforth hold weekly.
Ogbara-Banjoko explained that the reason for the decision was basically to minimise traffic offences as well as reduce travel time on the roads across the state.
She added that safety on the road was crucial in a megacity like Lagos, stressing that offences bordering on driving against traffic were a serious offence that should not be taken lightly.
Earlier, the chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force), Shola Jejeloye, hinted that the drivers were arrested for driving on BRT lane, obstruction, expired papers, no registration among others.
Jejeloye said that the operation was aimed at reducing traffic offences across the metropolis, noting that it was worrisome the manner in which motorists abused the use of BRT lane.
He pointed out that, apart from BRT buses, only operational vehicles and ambulances with patients on emergencies were allowed to ply the BRT lane. He added that all manner of people, on one excuse or the other, often resorted to driving on the BRT lane.