In an unprecedented move, the Lagos State Government, last week, suspended, with immediate effect, the operations of the members of the committee on removal of abandoned vehicles in the state, owing to allegations of extortion and harassment of motorists.
“The entire ad-hoc teams of Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles (RAVC) operating in the 20 Local Governments (LGs) and 37 Local Council Development Area (LCDAs) in Lagos State are hereby suspended with immediate effect,” the Lagos State government said in a statement.
The decision, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, was taken to appraise and review the operation of the teams in view of the several complaints by members of the public on the activities of some of the units, which he said was causing embarrassment to the state government.
The Special Adviser explained that the central committee of RAVC would still continue to operate. He, however, warned that any ad-hoc team found operating after this notice would be handed over to law enforcement agents for trial and prosecution in accordance with the law of the state as captured in the Traffic Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018.
Fayinka further stated that the RAVC, while in operation, was able to remove many abandoned vehicles, which hitherto posed as environmental nuisances, security and traffic impediments.
He called on members of the public whose vehicles were impounded to come to RAVC Office, (former VIO office), Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, to process the release of their vehicles.
This is a noble move, which shows that the government, after all, still listens and has the interests of the ordinary citizens at heart.
“In the first instance, the creation of this nebulous committee in Lagos State, even when the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority already exists, is a duplication of function and waste of Lagos State Government’s resources”
It is completely inhuman and smacks of wickedness to turn deaf ears to all explanations from a hapless motorist and go ahead to impound his vehicle, tow it away and slam an outrageous fine on him because his vehicle, for instance, ran out of fuel, not necessarily that it broke down as a result of mechanical or electrical fault.
Nothing forbids a team on patrol from helping a distressed motorist to push his vehicle to a good corner where it would not obstruct traffic flow and allow the owner to quickly go for fuel, restart his vehicle and go about his business. That would be law enforcement with human face. But for the RAVC, it is the cash or revenue first and anything else, later.
Over the years, the public outcry over the incidences of extortion by government agencies in Lagos State, including the RAVC, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Kick Against Indiscipline and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, has increased despite concerted efforts by government to reform and improve their service delivery.
The RAVC members, among other distasteful activities, have been accused of chasing drivers, even at the odd hours of the day, in company with military personnel and thugs armed with bottles, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
Many Lagos motorists have also complained bitterly, that the activities of the RAVC have become daylight and night robbery for them.
They ambush and attack moving vehicles in order to assault drivers, forcefully hijack and drive away their vehicles and later book the cars as towed by slamming outrageous bills, ranging between N150,000 and N250,000, on them.
It is most unfortunate that members of the committee reportedly colluded with street urchins, otherwise known as area boys, to carry out their nefarious activities.
At strategic locations within the Lagos metropolis, it is usual to see a mix of young and old men dressed in local council vests or aprons. They identify themselves as the local council traffic officers, positioned to apprehend motorists that violate traffic regulations in the city.
Many motorists have been complaining about the modus operandi of these officers, which they say are not acceptable in the least.
Aside from being sneaky in their procedure, the officials are also fond of indiscriminately arresting and impounding vehicles, without any apparent guiding rules about traffic management. They don’t listen to explanations. All they are particular about is towing any stationary vehicle, even if it merely ran out of fuel because it is in towing away the vehicle that they will be able to slam outrageous bill on the driver or owner.
In many instances, it would seem that the goal is really not to enforce the law but to impose fines haphazardly on so-called offenders, which seems to be their stock-in-trade.
These officials capitalise on negligible errors on the part of ignorant motorists, because to them, the end justifies the means.
Those who have had cause to be accosted this way and fined for violating traffic offence said the primary interest had been to extort motorists.
All these deliberate acts of impunity, lawlessness, abuse of power and barbaric manner of operation by members of the RAVC were not only destroying the good intention of the government but also portraying the government in bad light.
In the first instance, the creation of this nebulous committee in Lagos State, even when the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority already exists, is a duplication of function and waste of Lagos State Government’s resources.
LASTMA is more qualified and competent to handle better, what RAVC was established to do.
It is also important to let the law enforcement authorities know that they are there to serve the people, and not the other way round, and they don’t have the right to abuse the power that the law has conferred on them.
It is obvious that law enforcement has been problematic for Lagos State, especially in the area of traffic management.
Government should therefore empower the relevant agencies with technology. The law must be enforced if Lagos needs to get its traffic straightened.
