The Lagos Mobile Court has ordered permanent forfeiture of 31 vehicles to the state government for contravening the state’s traffic laws.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Environment and Special Offences, Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed the order after the drivers pleaded guilty.

Mr. Egbeyemi held that the 31 defendants pleaded guilty to the one-way traffic offence they were charged with.

“These 31 drivers were charged with driving in the direction prohibited by Law punishable under Part (III) item 27 of the ‘Lagos State Transport Sector Reformed Law of 2018.

“However, 43 other drivers arraigned for plying the BRT corridors and causing road obstructions have been ordered to pay fines to the government in accordance with the law and severity of their offense,” he said.

Mr. Egbeyemi confirmed that out of 160 arraigned traffic offenders including those apprehended for driving against traffic, only 74 had so far appeared before the court.

While urging remaining 86 others who are yet to appear before the court to do so, Egbeyemi said the agency acted in response to series of complaints from the public.

“The complaints, particularly from motorists were that activities of one-way drivers were causing serious traffic gridlock on daily basis since the #EndSARS protest across the State.

“It is painful that with a high level of enlightenment campaigns and several warnings by the government, motorists including private car owners are still driving against traffic.

“The penalty for such offense is outright forfeiture of the said vehicle to the government,” he said. 

Authorities in Lagos have scaled up widespread crackdown on all real and perceived illegalities since the end of #EndSARS protest which was marred by violent reprisals.