…Gov. Uba Sani orders thorough investigation into shady deals
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Since their inauguration in 2016 by the then governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai, men and officers of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) were posted to the 23 local government areas of the state with the mandate to control traffic, enforce compliance to traffic rules by motorists and ensure sanity on roads in the state.
With the formation of KASTLEA, the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) were stopped from operating in the state, which attracted heated criticisms against El-rufai’s administration at that time.
Daily Sun gathered that in the early years of their operations, KASTLEA men were down-to-earth with high discipline of resisting bribes and ensuring that erring motorists faced the wrath of the law.
But investigations by our correspondent indicate that many of the hitherto revered traffic law enforcers have started soiling their fingers in sharp practices.
They engage in sharp practices by arresting unsuspecting motorists who have committed no offence by simply removing the number plates of such vehicles on flimsy allegations that the driver did not park well or obstructed marked public space.
The so-called offence and others like expired vehicle particulars usually attract N10,000 fine, payable to government account. But in most cases, the traffic officers negotiate with the erring driver and collect about N3,000, which they pocket.
However, the bubble burst recently when a KASTLEA official was caught on video camera, which has since gone viral, allegedly diverting funds meant for the government, using a point of sale (POS) machine in Saminaka town, Lere Local Government Area of the state. The personal account number bears a female name with one of the popular old generation bank.
In the said viral video, the affected motorist said he paid N20,000 directly to the account, using POS, for no offence committed.
The incident has prompted Governor Uba Sani to order a thorough investigation into the matter, demonstrating his commitment to upholding transparency and accountability within the state’s agencies and institutions.
As narrated in the video, the motorist said: “I was stopped by KASTLEA officer in Saminaka, and he asked for my car particulars, driving license, fire extinguisher, tested all my car lights, all these were in order. He said one of my headlights was not working, I disagreed with him because we just checked everything together, and I told him that I was in a hurry, he should allow me to go. He said since I am in a hurry, I should pay through POS and a personal account, which he provided. I paid N20,000.00 for an offence I never committed.
“I am, therefore, calling on Governor Uba Sani to go to Saminaka and collect the money because the Uba Sani I know will never tolerate this kind of sharp malpractices.
“I decided to make the video go viral so as to serve as deterrent to other KASTLEA officials who are in this kind of attitude and also to let the governor know how motorists are being charged with an offence they never committed and paying fine into a personal account”.
Sani’s chief press secretary, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, said: “The governor, Senator Uba Sani, has ordered thorough investigation into the alleged misconduct by an official of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority, which was captured in a video that has now gone viral. The said official was seen on video diverting money meant for government coffers using POS machine.
“The Kaduna State Government reiterates its zero-tolerance for corrupt practices in its ministries, departments, agencies and other state-owned institutions. The administration remains committed to protecting its citizens against fraudulent actions by a few bad eggs.
“Residents are hereby encouraged to report any infractions to the appropriate authorities, as any official found guilty after thorough investigations will face the full wrath of the law”.
Meanwhile, most people don’t know the exact mandate of KASTLEA, asking if it is a traffic control and enforcement agency or a road safety authority or a revenue generating unit of Kaduna State government.
A KASTLEA officer, who did not want his name in print, told Daily Sun: “The mandate of this authority is to make sure that we prevent accidents in the state. And that is why our responsibility is divided into two. There is the social services and enforcement. In providing social services, we don’t have any challenge because we try to control traffic flow within the state. We have about 17 zones and units across the 23 local governments in the state.
“We clear the road, if there is a broken-down vehicle, so that we can have free flow of traffic. At the same time, if there is an accident, we use our ambulances to convey the wounded to the nearest medical centre where they can get proper attention, that is after administering first aid treatment. We also evacuate the dead.
“Also, you can even see our marshals stationed around schools. We do that in order to help children to cross the road. We also assist aged people. These are all social services.
“When it comes to enforcement, that is where we have some challenges. This is because when you try to change the mindset of Nigerians from doing the wrong thing to doing the right thing, you tend to have problems. What we are asking people to do is simple: They should not overload their vehicles, they should not speed excessively, drive with seat belts on, don’t beat traffic light. So, when you are trying to enforce all these rules, you have challenges. But it is our responsibility. We are doing so to ensure that there are less accidents on our roads.
“KASTLEA is not a revenue-generating agency. But if you check the behaviour of Nigerian road users, there is no way that you cannot fine offenders. In that way, you will generate a little revenue for the government.
“But we were not set up to generate revenue perse. If someone beats traffic light and he is arrested, he has to pay a certain fine, which is stated in the law. And the fine goes to the government’s coffers.
“But if Kaduna State road users abide by all traffic regulations, with no one beating traffic, no one over speeding, no over loading and all vehicle documents are up to date, we will not arrest anyone. So, we will not generate any revenue.
“The law allows us to remove number plates. Why we do that is because you may not need to pay your fine on the spot. If you are in a hurry, we will allow you to go but we will remove your number plate. Afterwards, you will meet our officials in the office with your booking ticket. And when you pay the fine, we will release your vehicle. So, what we are doing is backed by KASTLEA law.”