Lagos State Government Denies Directive to LASTMA on Arresting Motorists

Lagos State Responds to Viral Reports on LASTMA Directive

The Lagos State government has moved swiftly to address viral reports circulating on social media that suggested Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed the officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to cease arresting erring motorists.

Dismissing False Claims

In a clear and prompt response, the state government denied the veracity of such claims, asserting that no directive of this nature had been issued by Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Origins of the Misinformation

The misinformation appears to have originated from a viral social media flier, which gained traction on various platforms.

This flier purportedly conveyed the message that Governor Sanwo-Olu had instructed LASTMA officials to cease arresting motorists and, instead, focus solely on managing traffic within the state.

The flier contained a message that read: “Henceforth, no LASTMA officials should arrest any commercial or private motorist.

The duty of LASTMA is to manage traffic and not to arrest anyone.

I have heard a lot of complaints, and any official that violates the rule of his work will be severely dealt with.

If at any time LASTMA officials make an attempt to arrest you or forcefully enter your car, don’t argue with them, just allow them to enter and call these numbers: 08129928600 and 08129928550.”

Government’s Response

To counter the spread of this false information, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sanwo-Olu on New Media, Jibril Gawat, took to his official X account to denounce the viral post as “fake news.”

He added humor to his response by saying, “Happy Anniversary to this LASTMA FAKE NEWS… See you again NEXT YEAR, At least we will rest after 2027.

I think this is the 2nd time this is trending this year sef.

Double Anniversary niyen.”

In his message, Gawat effectively dismissed the false claims while highlighting the repetitive nature of such misinformation.

This incident underscores the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before accepting it as truth, especially in the era of social media where misinformation can spread rapidly.

It also showcases the government’s commitment to clarifying inaccuracies and maintaining transparency with the public.

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