LASTMA punishes 22 officers, dismisses 14 in one year

For years, officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) had wielded their big sticks on both private and commercial operators in the state, leading to the deaths of many, including officials of the agency.

The agency, created in 2000, however, became more visible during the administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola.

But since 2015, the agency has introduced more measures to curb the overzealousness of its officials. However, despite the celebrated efforts, many officials of the agency continue to violate set rules, with some attacking motorists on the highway.

In November 2024, youths attacked officials of the authority and the police escort for allegedly causing the death of an about-to-wed motorist.

In November 2024, officials of LASTMA were accused of chasing a driver around a Five Star Bus stop; the incident led to a death.

Earlier this year, the agency’s officials were accused of dragging a steering wheel with a driver in the Ladipo area of the state, but it denied it.

When The Guardian reached out to the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, he said as part of the efforts to ensure effectiveness, the state government last year dismissed six LASTMA officers.

He said the officials were dismissed based on a series of allegations levelled against them.

They went through an investigation in line with the Lagos State public service rule before they arrived after which they were dismissed.

“Officials also faced other sanctions, ranging from demotion to suspension. Some were subjected to further training and redeployment.

“But in all, if you want to look at it from January 2024, I will tell you that we have had about 22 LASTMA officers that were punished. Out of the number, 14 were dismissed while others faced a series of punishments.

“The agency is not covering up for any officer that misbehaves on the road. Out of close to 5000 staff, at the end of December 2024, 4,335 were trained by the Lagos State government on emotional intelligence, and respect for human rights among others.

“We equally carried out a training in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Training School in Ikeja and that has manifested in the decorum across the state about the activities of LASTMA officers,” he said.