LASTMA Sanctions 18 Officers, Arrests Over 7,000 Vehicles in Six Months
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says it has arrested over 7,000 vehicles and sanctioned 18 of its officers for various infractions within the first six months of 2025.
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.
He said the traffic enforcement activities formed part of a broader strategy to ensure sanity on the state’s roads.
According to him, over 54,000 traffic violators were also captured through the agency’s technology-driven enforcement system, known as the Traffic Management Solutions.
“More than 1,000 vehicles were removed from the roads, and over 700 road traffic crashes occurred during the period under review,” Bakare-Oki said.
He noted that since assuming office as General Manager, one of his key initiatives has been the integration of technology to enhance enforcement, a move that has improved operational efficiency.
To further boost performance, Bakare-Oki revealed that the agency launched a year-long training programme for its officers beginning in January 2025.
This training, he said, covers both internal and external modules, conducted weekly.
“Our personnel are being re-trained on emotional intelligence, enforcement without aggression, mental health, and advanced traffic management.
Senior officers from within the agency and state public service are actively involved in the sessions,” he said.
On internal discipline, the LASTMA boss confirmed that 18 officers were punished for misconduct. Sanctions ranged from dismissal and demotion to issuance of warning letters.
“All disciplinary actions followed due process and were in line with the Lagos State Public Service Rules,” he added.
Bakare-Oki also announced that the agency had introduced new initiatives to enhance public awareness, including monthly traffic enlightenment programmes, the formation of a Female Elite Corps, and the rollout of the LASTMA Mayor initiative.
He urged Lagosians to obey traffic laws, noting that effective traffic management requires the cooperation of all road users.
“Traffic management is a shared responsibility,” he said. “We are committed to doing our part, and we ask residents to do theirs by respecting traffic rules.”
