The Lagos State Government has declared a state-wide 24-hour traffic management operation and an extensive enforcement campaign to tackle gridlock and illegal structures ahead of the festive season.
Tagged Operation Ember Months Stability, the initiative was announced by the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who said the exercise aims to ensure smooth vehicular movement, enhance public safety, and maintain environmental order across major corridors and nightlife zones in the state.
According to a statement released by LASTMA, personnel have been deployed to strategic routes, including Ikorodu Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lekki-Epe Corridor, and Agege Motor Road to manage traffic round the clock, discourage road indiscipline, and promote safety awareness among motorists and commuters.
Bakare-Oki explained that the exercise is complemented by a multi-agency enforcement task force coordinated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa.
The task force includes agencies such as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), LAMATA, the Nigeria Police, LAWMA, and the Public Works Corporation.
He revealed that the joint team had already conducted a sweeping clearance operation at Apapa, Ijora, and Costain under-bridges, demolishing over 250 illegal shanties, removing derelict vehicles, and evacuating makeshift encampments obstructing roadways.
He said a dummy firearm and dangerous weapons were discovered during the operation, prompting the state’s renewed commitment to public safety.
To sustain order in the reclaimed areas, Bakare-Oki said commercial bus operators previously loading illegally have been relocated to designated parks and terminals, while LAMATA has been directed to integrate the cleared spaces into Lagos’ mass transit infrastructure.
The LASTMA boss also cited the agency’s swift intervention during recent heavy-duty truck crashes at Kara Bridge and Otedola Bridge, which claimed lives but were promptly managed to prevent further casualties and restore normal traffic flow.
Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the state’s readiness to ensure Lagos roads remain safe, orderly, and free-flowing during the festive season and beyond.
