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Lagos govt justifies auction of confiscated vehicles, says traffic laws under review

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The Lagos State Government has justified its recent auction of confiscated vehicles owned by violators of traffic laws in the state.

No fewer than 130 vehicles were auctioned by the Ministry of Justice and the Lagos State Taskforce last week.

The development had attracted mixed reactions from Nigerians with some describing the step by the state government as too harsh.

However, in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, said the auction followed due process.

He added that traffic offenders were given the opportunity to defend themselves before judges and magistrates.

Onigbanjo said: “All the cars that were forfeited were abandoned and then notices were even given in newspapers that if your car has been abandoned in the yard, you can still come and pick it up before the auction date.

“In respect to the auctioned cars, they were forfeited pursuant to orders of the law.

Read also:We have started releasing impounded vehicles —LASTMA

“The essence of the law is deterrence. Some people say the punishment is not appropriate but it depends on their perspectives.”

He therefore noted that the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law (2018) has been subjected to review for necessary amendments.

“The Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law is currently being reviewed by the state House of Assembly and amendments will be in place as soon as possible.

“This issue of driving against traffic has become such a nuisance, such a danger, and such a menace to society that something drastic has to be done and the legislators at that time imposed these penalties.

“There is a process to amend the law so people can go up to their representatives in the state house of assembly and make agitations that in our view, this is draconian and we think you should change the law. That could kick-start the process but ongoing right now, there is a process to review the law”, he concluded.

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