Lagos auctions 134 abandoned vehicles, warns intending traffic offenders

The Lagos State Taskforce in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice have auctioned 134 forfeited and abandoned vehicles at the Taskforce compound in Alausa, Ikeja.

The auction exercise which took place on Thursday witnessed members of the public troop out in numbers to participate in the sale of vehicles which were confiscated for various traffic offences ranging from driving on one-way to willful obstruction of traffic across various parts of the State.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, at the event, said the terminating end of any enforcement exercise carried out by the Agency is the Mobile Court who determines the fate of vehicles seized for traffic infractions.

He said, “My role as a Police officer is to carry out enforcement exercises one of which is confiscation of vehicles for traffic offenses, and handing them over to the mobile court for judgement. I dont determine the fate our outcome of any vehicle brought before the magistrate in court”

Jejeloye enlightened members of the public who have been arrested to have the boldness and confidence to face the mobile court.

“Some of the cars being auctioned here were confiscated for obstruction of traffic which only attracts a fine but some people never showed up to claim these cars thats why they have been forfeitted to the State Government after the stipulated period and then auctioned” he added.

Jejeloye further addressed members of the public present at the auction exercise to desist from committing crime or traffic offences as no one would be spared if found wanting.

He hoped that this exercise would serve as a deterrent to other road users who are fond of driving against traffic and warned that the long arm of the law would soon catch up with them.

Also present at the event was the Coordinator of The Lagos State Special Offenses Mobile Court, Mrs Arinola Ogbara-Banjoko who described the exercise as seemless and well organised and also disclosed that all 134 vehicles on display had gone through due process of the court of law before being forfeited to the state government for varying offenses.