By Kehinde Aderemi
Why is it that many people in Nigeria do not obey traffic laws? That was the topic at a recent informal gathering where the story of a 13-year-old secondary school student, Kehinde Odunayo, who was killed by a police man in Ibadan, Oyo State, came up.
The father of the deceased, Alade Odunayo, was alleged to have driven against the traffic, while taking his son and other children to school for the recent school certificate examination organised by the West Africa Examination Council.
But the officers of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) would not take it lightly with him. They attempted to stop him, but the man meandered his way through all bottlenecks placed in his way, hitting their vehicles with his before speeding off. Shots were fired at the fleeing vehicle with tinted glasses, and his young, promising boy was hit.
Though investigation into the ugly incident is ongoing, there is a need to look into the enforcement of traffic laws holistically in Nigeria.
A Lagos-based activist and social commentator, Mr Hassan Adeniyi, said incidents like these usually come up where there is no law, or where the enforcement of those laws is weak. He said Nigerians’ attitude to traffic laws and enforcement is bad.
“This is the only country where you flout a law and get away with it. All over the world, laws are made to be enforced. It is one thing to make laws, it is another thing to enforce the laws.
“In Nigeria, enforcement of laws has been the bane of the country. It is not only limited to traffic laws. Disregard for laws cuts across all sectors of our national life.
“The enforcement mechanism in Nigeria is weak. It is unfortunate that the law enforcement agencies, the police and other agencies of the government have failed in their responsibilities to adhere strictly to the laws and punish offenders accordingly.
“In Lagos State for instance, traffic offences like driving against the traffic, known as one-way, illegal blocking of roads, crossing of highway where there’s a pedestrian bridge and driving on a restricted lane like the BRT are traffic offences that need proper enforcement. But it is unfortunate that enforcement of the traffic laws are hardly done.”
Adeniyi stated further that it is not only the yellow-bus drivers, known as Danfo and okada riders that are culpable, adding that Lagos residents are also culpable.
“Drivers of the yellow buses flout traffic laws at will, even as the law enforcement officers watch them. Danfo drivers also travel routinely on BRT lanes without any sanction.
“From Alakija to Isasi,Trade Fair to Abule Ado, drivers usually have a field day driving against the traffic. It is unfortunate that those that are supposed to enforce the laws lack the political will to do that.”
A journalist and media consultant, Clement Odum, said enforcement of traffic laws is a major challenge in the country.
He said he was lucky to have survived an accident he had about two years ago when his car collided with another car along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“The reckless driver drove against traffic and collided with my car. I thank God I survived the crash that left my Toyota Camry in ruin. I was returning to Lagos from Ibadan when I had the accident.
“I have been in Lagos for over four decades now. During Fashola’s time as governor, enforcement of traffic laws was very effective. There were penalties for offenders.
“The BRT lane was a no-go-area for motorists and there were roads in the state that remained restricted for travellers.
Nobody is above the law during the Fashola administration. One of the things he did was that once you have been arrested, you are taken to the hospital for a psychiatric test to ascertain your state of mind. It was a rigorous experience and after that, you go through series of driving tests and later penalised.
“Under Fashola, traffic offences attracted huge fines and a jail term if the offender was a serial offender.”
Indeed, Saturday Sun recalled that under that law, trailer-trucks, (apart from fuel tankers and long buses), are prohibited from plying the roads between 6.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m. Commercial motorcycle operators are not to ply major trunks, such as Ikorodu Road, Funsho Williams Avenue, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Motorists are also forbidden from making phone calls, eating, counting money or engaging in other dangerous activities while on the wheel. It’s also unlawful for pedestrians to cross the expressways. It was compulsory for them to use the pedestrian bridges.
“During the Fashola administration, violation of these laws attracts between N30,000 and N50,000 fine, or imprisonment of up to three years. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, would flout traffic laws in Lagos State as of that time.
“But today, I think the Lagos State government needs to do more on the enforcement of these laws, most especially, for those that think they are above the law.
“There was a viral video about two years ago, where the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu stopped and arrested an officer on a motorcycle that drove against the traffic along Lagos- Badagry Expressway. That is a good example. As far as I am concerned, traffic law is about enforcement. Once you are found guilty, you are penalised and that solves the issue. It is only in our society that people think they are above the law and could get away with anything they do,” he stated.
Odum listed other measures that could help in curbing traffic offences as road signs, traffic lights, tyre spikes, as well as close-circuit television (CCTV).
“Use of other devices like tyre spike is also a cautionary effort against reckless driving in major cities,” he explained.
Another important thing to note about traffic laws and enforcement is that some roads may be formally referred to as one-way due to traffic congestion, with traffic flowing in a single direction for a significant portion of the day.
“There are places in Lagos State where a particular road would be one-way in the morning and a free road in the afternoon. There are places also that might be one-way today and might not be tomorrow due to construction, temporary traffic diversion, or permanent adjustment.
“For instance in Lagos, from Akowonjo to Dopemu, you can ply the road in the morning but in the afternoon it becomes a one-way road.”
Hamid Otufowora, a Lagos-based businessman said the Lagos State government lacks the political will to enforce the laws.
“Despite the efforts of the previous governments at curtailing residents’ complete disregard for traffic laws, it seems there has been no solution. Danfo drivers seem to be above the law. Even when a combined team of police operatives and LASTMA officers are on the BRT corridor, the Danfo drivers don’t care what happens. They still ply the BRT corridors with ease.
“People are saying the Lagos State government lacks the political will to enforce traffic laws because despite the existing law banning okada riders on the highway, you still see some okada riders plying the highway and flouting the law.
“In Ojota, for instance, there are two pedestrian bridges, but people are still cross the highway, dashing across every day, even when bridges are provided.
“Recently, Lagos State government embarked on an enforcement campaign against traffic offenders, in Ketu and Ojota, but it lasted for two weeks. After two weeks, the whole arrangement fizzled out and the people returned again to their lawlessness.
“These are the challenges. The problem of traffic is nothing but enforcement. But most of the laws made by the state government are not correctional; they are punitive and just to make money for the government.
“If a car breaks down on the road, and the motorist is in distress, traffic managers would remove the car to their office, and the driver would be made to pay a hefty fine. Yet those driving on BRT lanes are let off the hook because they are staff of the Lagos State government or officers.
“That is not too good because the laws are made for people and not for animals. And in enforcing the law, nobody should be above the law,” Otufowora said.
Over-speeding and death on Nigerian roads
There are reports that over 90 per cent of road crashes in Nigeria are caused by driver errors, including over- speeding. Findings also revealed that about 1,593 Nigerians were killed in road crashes in 3 months.
A geographical data of the number of deaths experienced across the regions stated that the North-Central zone experienced the highest death toll, with 48 fatalities in accidents in Plateau and Kwara states. The North-West zone recorded 32 deaths, with Kano and Katsina being particularly impacted.
In the North-East, Gombe State experienced seven fatalities, while in the South West, a devastating crash in Ondo State claimed 30 lives. Recently, Kano State lost 22 members of the state’s contingent to an accident that occurred at the Dakatsalle Bridge in Kura LGA of the state.
The athletes were returning to Kano State in a bus belonging to the Kano State Sports Commission after the just concluded sports festival held in Ogun State when the vehicle reportedly flipped off the bridge.
Makinde’s one-way tyre spikes
In order to enforce laws and reduce traffic offences, the Seyi Makinde administration in Oyo State, in March 2025, installed one-way tyre spikes at Idi-Ape, a popular intersection in Ibadan, to deter drivers from driving against the traffic. As gathered, the move was aimed at enhancing road safety, curb reckless driving, and reduce accidents caused by one-way violations.
The spikes, designed to puncture the tyres of vehicles attempting to drive the wrong way, are part of a broader effort to enforce traffic laws and promote greater discipline among road users.
Idi-Ape is a popular section in Ibadan, the state capital. It features a very busy road intersection, where there are a lot of pedestrian crossings, including pupils of a popular primary school in the area. The intersection was prone to armed robbery because of a number of bank branches in the area.
A viral video showcasing the functionality of the spikes demonstrated how they puncture the tyres of vehicles attempting to drive in the wrong direction.
We’ve sanctioned hundreds of vehicles for traffic infractions – LASTMA boss
Meanwhile the authorities of LASTMA said the agency had commenced a comprehensive clean-up enforcement campaign across critical traffic corridors within the metropolis.
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said officers were deployed across high-density zones, notably Oyingbo, Iddo, Eja-Lonibu, Adeniji Adele, Sabo, Jibowu (Inter-State Terminal), and Oshodi—locales that have long contended with chronic congestion, indiscriminate parking, flagrant environmental violations, and general traffic anarchy.
In his words, during the initial enforcement phase, no fewer than 235 vehicles – comprising 38 private automobiles,156 painted Volkswagen commercial buses (Danfo), 19 minibuses (Korope), tricycles, five haulage trucks, and 17 inter-state passenger buses were impounded for various breaches of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.
Offences ranged from unlawful encroachment upon pedestrian pathways, obstruction of vehicular flow, establishment of illegal terminals, to reckless disregard for established traffic regulations.
The clean-up enforcement drive, according to Oki, is an integral part of the Lagos State Government’s overarching urban regeneration initiative, which seeks to enhance quality of life, elevate the State’s liveability index, and instil a sustainable culture of traffic sanity and environmental stewardship.
“LASTMA is now operating under a strict zero-tolerance mandate against traffic infractions.
“All impounded vehicles will be promptly arraigned before the Lagos State Mobile Court for prosecution. The era of impunity on our roads is over. Any vehicle found engaging in illegal parking, obstructing traffic flow, or violating directional rules (e.g., one-way driving) will henceforth be summarily impounded.”
“Also, Director Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, told Saturday Sun that the statutory role of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority LASTMA is to enforce the law against traffic offenders.
He said the state agency has two or three Monitoring and Enforcement units that monitor and see to the day-to-day enforcement of traffic laws in the state. He said their job is to ensure that traffic laws, not only on the BRT corridor, but on all the stipulated roads in the state, are enforced. Apart from LASTMA, the BRT management also have their enforcement unit on their own that monitors the flow of traffic on the BRT corridor.
“The era in which you see LASTMA officers having physical altercation with motorists is gone, especially, with the use of the new technology device provided by the Lagos State government.
“The device is known as the Traffic Management Solution Devices camera (TMS). It is faster and better than the tyre spikes and any other device. We have used bodycam, but now LASTMA officers are using the TMS camera to capture traffic infractions in the state.
“The TMS captures the time, the date, the location at which an offence was committed. It is like a telephone and that is why people take it to be a POS machine.
“You hear people say LASTMA now take POS machines, but rather it is a TMS machine that captures everything that happens on the road.
“Once you have been captured, within two to three hours of committing a traffic offence, you receive a notification on your telephone that will tell you that you have committed traffic infraction.
“The notification will show you a video with an arrow and once you click on the arrow, it will show you the time and the place where you committed the offence.
“With the advent of TMS camera and other equipment, LASTMA officers no longer run against traffic offenders. Though, we still make physical arrest, our job as Lagos State traffic management agency is technologically- driven and we have gone beyond physical altercations.
“Traffic law in Lagos State is very effective and it is done in line with the Lagos State transport sector reformed law. We also have other security agencies of the state like the task force that enforce traffic laws.
“It is important to state also that the Lagos State government has installed speed- limiter devices at strategic position in the state. It specifies that a driver should not exceed 60 kilometres per hour. There is one at Maryland- inward Mobolaji Bank -Anthony Way. Another one is at Alapere, specifying that you should not exceed 80 kilometres per hour.
“Once you drive above the limit, you see a notification that tells you that you are driving above the required speed limit. There is one at Allen Junction, and another one at Third Mainland Bridge as well.
“We equally have e- policing camera by Olowopopo Road, very close to the Secretariat and also at Allen Junction. What it does is that it captures you when you flout traffic regulations.
“The essence of all these is to ensure safety and the Lagos State government is doing everything that is possible to ensure voluntary compliance and enforcement from motorists in the state. Once there is reduction in speed limit, accidents will be reduced on our roads.
“Last year July, LASTMA launched a toll- free hotline where residents can reach out to the agency, give vital information as regards traffic enforcement or infractions . So, as far as LASTMA is concerned, enforcement is ongoing across the state and we will continue to advise and enlighten Lagos residents on compliance as well as enforcement of the laws,” he said.