The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) has debunked a social media report alleging that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed the agency to return all seized vehicles in its custody to their owners.
A statement by the Office of the Chairman of the agency, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, refuted the claim that the decision was a follow up to a memo he sent to the governor seeking his approval to auction all seized vehicles, in order to create space for new ones.
Egbeyemi said that he was not aware of the purported memo; neither did he receive any directive from Governor Sanwo-Olu to release impounded vehicles, adding that it was irresponsible and mischievous for any individual to insinuate that the governor would give such order.
He said: “Governor Sanwo-Olu is conscious of the provisions contained in the 2018 amended Traffic Law as it relates to the duties of the Task Force and will never make pronouncements contrary to the provisions of the law.”
Noting that transportation and traffic management played prominent roles in the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda, the chairman recalled that the governor had on numerous platforms stated that “should members of his family or exco run foul or violate the traffic laws, they shall equally face the consequences of such acts.”
Egbeyemi implored the public, particularly owners of impounded vehicles, to ignore and disregard the fake news designed to confuse and mislead them into not complying with ‘Court Order’ on such vehicles in the custody of the agency.
