By Ebinum Samuel
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has issued a resolute and uncompromising directive to members of transport unions and affiliated associations across the State, mandating the immediate cessation of the unlawful practice of affixing ‘Union Stickers’ upon private vehicles in lieu of legitimate registration numbers.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, decried this aberrant conduct as a flagrant contravention of established regulatory frameworks, constituting both a grievous security infraction and a gross subversion of lawful vehicular identification systems within the metropolis.
He underscored that, in alignment with the prevailing security architecture of Lagos State, every vehicle plying public thoroughfares must be duly registered and documented through the constitutionally empowered government agencies entrusted with vehicular regulation and enforcement.
Mr. Bakare-Oki further warned that the proliferation of such unauthorised identifiers imperils public safety, compromises effective law enforcement, and undermines the sanctity of statutory registration protocols.
He reaffirmed that the Lagos State Government will not condone any attempt by individuals or collectives to evade or erode established procedures through the deployment of illicit insignia.
In this regard, the General Manager disclosed that LASTMA, working in concert with security formations and other relevant enforcement agencies, will heighten surveillance across strategic corridors to ensure total compliance with extant laws.
He categorically stated: “Any vehicle discovered navigating the roadways under the guise of ‘Union Sticker’ identifiers, or other unauthorised symbols, shall be summarily impounded, and the culpable parties shall face full sanctions under the provisions of the law.”
While enjoining members of transport unions to conform strictly to lawful registration obligations, Bakare-Oki emphasized that such adherence is not merely a matter of administrative orderliness but also a paramount safeguard for the collective security and well-being of all Lagosians.
The Lagos State Government, through LASTMA, thus appeals for the unwavering cooperation of all stakeholders in sanitising the transport sector, assuring the motoring public that decisive enforcement measures will be rigorously sustained to protect lives, secure property, and uphold the integrity of traffic management across the State.