Lagos Cracks Down On Illegal Garages, Impounds 155 Vehicles

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), has impounded 155 vehicles, including tricycles and heavy-duty trucks, during a large-scale operation to dismantle illegal garages and roadside parks across Lagos Island.

According to a statement on Tuesday by LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the enforcement exercise was supervised by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa.

Giwa said the operation targeted unauthorised garages, makeshift shanties, and informal trading spots that have become major causes of gridlock, environmental nuisance, and insecurity.

“Illegal garages, unregulated markets, and roadside shanties have persistently undermined our collective aspiration for a smooth and orderly traffic system in Lagos. These impoundments, therefore, send a strong and unequivocal signal that the State Government will no longer condone any unlawful activity capable of disrupting public order or endangering the safety of lives and property,” Giwa stated.

He noted that the exercise aligns with the Lagos State Government’s 24-hour traffic management directive and forms part of the broader commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to enforce discipline and compliance across all transport corridors.

The operation covered key traffic flashpoints such as Ebute-Ero, Oke-Arin Market, Odofin Street, Elegbata, and Marina (Oando Under Bridge) — areas notorious for congestion caused by indiscriminate parking and trading.

Residents and business owners in the affected areas commended the move, describing it as timely and necessary to restore order and improve traffic flow.

Giwa assured that the enforcement would be sustained and extended to other parts of Lagos where similar illegalities persist.

He urged motorists and traders to comply with traffic regulations and report abandoned or broken-down vehicles through LASTMA’s toll-free line: 0810000527862.

“The ultimate vision of the Lagos State Government is to bequeath to its residents a safer, cleaner, and more livable city. Adherence to traffic regulations is not merely a legal necessity but a shared civic responsibility, pivotal to the collective realization of this aspiration,” he added.