The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency has debunked reports that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, banned officials of the agency from arresting errant motorists.
The agency clarified that the governor did not say that LASTMA has to only manage traffic in the state.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, in a statement on Friday, described the claim as fake news and the handiwork of faceless mischief makers, adding that the agency was empowered by law to arrest traffic violators in the state.
He said the claim by the mischief makers had been repeatedly circulated online since February 2020, despite being severally refuted by the management of LASTMA.
He, however, warned Lagosians, especially motorists, to be wary of online reports aimed at causing chaos and mischief in society.
Adebayo said, “The attention of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been drawn to the recurring fake news circulating on social media, purported to have been said by the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that, henceforth, no LASTMA officials should arrest any motorist, either commercial or private.
“The duty of LASTMA is to manage traffic and not to arrest. The General Manager of the agency, Bolaji Oreagba, had previously debunked the fake online news alleging that LASTMA officials were banned from arresting motorists who flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
“Mr Oreagba explained that the false report, which is the handiwork of faceless mischief makers, has been repeatedly circulated online since February 2020, despite being severally refuted by management of LASTMA.”
“The motoring public is advised to ignore and disregard all fake news circulated by faceless individuals and designed to lead them into breaking the traffic law of the state,” Oreagba was quoted to have said in the statement, adding that all the working ethics of the authority, including all its operations were being regulated by laws.
