The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, says the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law (2018) is currently being reviewed by the Lagos State House of Assembly for amendment.
“The Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law is currently being reviewed by the state House of Assembly and amendments will be in place as soon as possible,” Onigbanjo said on Tuesday.
“This issue of driving against traffic has become such a nuisance, such a danger, and such a menace to society that something drastic has to be done and the legislators at that time imposed these penalties.
“There is a process to amend the law so people can go up to their representatives in the state house of assembly and make agitations that in our view, this is draconian and we think you should change the law. That could kick-start the process but ongoing right now, there is a process to review the law,” he explained.
The Lagos AG, however, maintained that “the law remains as at today, people should be well-advised not to jeopardise their own interest”.
Last week, emotions ran high after over 130 vehicles were confiscated for various traffic offences including ‘one-way’ driving. The vehicles were auctioned by the Lagos State Government through its Ministry of Justice and the State Taskforce and many had criticised the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration for being too “draconian”.
However, Onigbanjo on Tuesday warned commercial drivers and other motorists not to jeopardise their means of livelihood by flouting traffic laws and killing innocent road users and passersby in the process.
According to the AG, Lagos is a city where law and order must be obeyed and not a jungle where there is anarchy and bedlam.
“The essence of the law is deterrence. Some people say the punishment is not appropriate but it depends on their perspectives,” he said.
Onigbanjo noted that most Nigerians who contravene traffic laws at home obey such laws when they travel overseas.
“Government doesn’t set out to punish its citizens but there must be law and order. Whilst some will like to complain when these laws are enforced, the minute most Nigerians travel abroad, they comply with every law. The law is for the benefit of all, it is for our sanity.
“Do not put your means of livelihood in jeopardy by breaching the law and then when you breach the law, you then try to whip up sentiments.
“If you see the Lady of Justice, it is blindfolded, it doesn’t look at emotions; the law does not look at emotions. Why risk your means of livelihood if you know it is the only thing you have to sustain yourself economically? Why risk it by breaching the law?” Onigbanjo queried.
He further said the recent auction of vehicles over traffic violations was the second auction conducted since Sanwo-Olu came into office.
The justice commissioner insisted that due process was followed in the auction of the vehicles last week, noting that traffic offenders were given the opportunity to defend themselves before judges and magistrates.
“All the cars that were forfeited were abandoned and then notices were even given in newspapers that if your car has been abandoned in the yard, you can still come and pick it up before the auction date.
“In respect to the auctioned cars, they were forfeited pursuant to orders of the law,” he stated.
