Lagos govt releases impounded vehicles to owners

The Lagos State Government has started giving fine-free releases to owners of impounded vehicles.

This was announced on Tuesday in Lagos by the state's commissioner for transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde.

He said that the state government made the decision as a measure to ease the cash crisis on its inhabitants as a result of the Central Bank of Nigeria's naira redesign strategy and that the process started last Saturday and is currently underway.

The commissioner stated that fines would be dropped and vehicles seized for minor traffic infractions would be released to their owners.

He said, “There are some people that committed offences during that period and we understand the fact that money wasn’t easy to come by.

“Looking at the governor’s magnanimity, the governor has deemed it fit to ensure that people who committed crimes within that period and wanted to pay or couldn’t pay as a result of the shortage of cash, should come and pick up their cars and he has waived the fines.

“Mind you, that does not include major crimes committed. These are just minor traffic offences that have been committed in Lagos and this is showing empathy and trying to understand that look, we understand how difficult it has been and it is not a reason for us to stop you from making ends meet and so hence the governor’s magnanimity.

“All those who have committed a crime within that period should come and pick up their cars, that doesn’t mean people should continue to offend and so right now, what we are doing is to caution them not to commit the offence again.”

Remember that the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reduced BRT fares by 50% as a palliative measure to mitigate the impact of the naira redesign policy on residents of the state.

The commissioner further stated, “When you look at what the governor proposed, especially during the cash crunch period, we have reduced public transport fares by 50 per cent. So when you go on our BRTs and all the Lagos state-funded public transport, including Lag Ride, we have reduced the fare by 50 per cent just to alleviate the suffering of our people.

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