The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has impounded 155 vehicles during a coordinated enforcement operation targeting illegal roadside activities across Lagos Island.
The large-scale operation focused on dismantling unlawful garages, makeshift shanties, and informal trading zones that have long contributed to gridlock, environmental degradation, and insecurity in the area.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, said the exercise was carried out in strategic locations including Ebute-Ero, Oke-Arin Market, Odofin Street, Elegbata, and Marina beneath the Oando Bridge
According to Giwa, the seized vehicles included tricycles and heavily loaded trucks that were operating illegal garages and parks, often causing severe traffic disruptions.
He explained that the enforcement aligns with LASTMA’s renewed 24-hour traffic management mandate and the state government’s broader mobility and compliance agenda. The initiative, he added, is part of proactive measures to maintain traffic order ahead of the forthcoming festive season.
Reaffirming Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to sustaining law and order across all transport corridors, Giwa noted that the administration maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward infractions and public disorder.
“Illegal garages, roadside markets, and shanties continue to undermine our collective efforts to ensure smooth traffic flow. These impoundments send a clear message that the government will not tolerate any activity that disrupts public order or endangers lives and property,” he said.
He also emphasized that the goal of the operation is to create a safe, organised, and cleaner urban environment for motorists and pedestrians, while restoring sanity and civility to key transport routes.
Giwa assured residents that the enforcement campaign will be sustained and extended to other parts of the state where similar violations persist.
He also appealed to motorists, traders, and transport operators to comply voluntarily with traffic and environmental regulations, stressing that adherence to the law remains crucial to achieving an orderly and efficient transport system.
Authorities noted that the targeted locations have been longstanding congestion hotspots caused by illegal parking, street trading, and makeshift garages that obstruct movement and pose safety hazards to pedestrians and legitimate businesses
