The Lagos State Government under the leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commenced the release of impounded vehicles to their owners without payment of fines.
It has been reported that the state Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, made this known on Tuesday.
According to him, the decision was made as a measure to ease the cash crunch on its citizens due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Naira redesign policy.
Oladeinde noted that the exercise which commenced last week Saturday and is still ongoing is strictly for vehicles that were impounded for minor traffic offences.
He added that all those who committed crimes within the Naira scarcity period are urged to pick up their vehicles.
He said: “There are some people that committed offences during that period and we understand the fact that money wasn’t easy to come by.
Looking at the governor’s magnanimity, the governor has deemed it fit to ensure that people who committed crimes within that period and wanted to pay or couldn’t pay as a result of the shortage of cash, should come and pick up their cars and he has waved the fines.
Mind you, that does not include major crimes committed. These are just minor traffic offences that have been committed in Lagos and this is showing empathy and trying to understand that look, we understand how difficult it has been and it is not a reason for us to stop you from making ends meet and so hence the governor’s magnanimity.
All those who have committed a crime within that period should come and pick up their cars, that doesn’t mean people should continue to offend and so right now, what we are doing is to caution them not to commit the offence again.”
