Traffic offence: LASTMA officials to carry body cameras – GM

The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olajide Oduyoye, declares that officials of the agency will start monitoring traffic offence using smart body cameras.

The LASTMA General Manager disclosed this while talking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme monitored by Top Naija on Friday.

Oduyoye said, “Technology is the way to go. Our Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is on top of that. He approved the deployment of technology for us to improve our communication last year 2020.

“This year, we are definitely hoping to start in the next few weeks what you will say are non-approachable offence dealings. That means we are going to be having body cameras on officers to capture incidences because things happen so fast and you can’t really say let me get my camera.

“But if you have your body camera on that is recording, then, you can capture all sorts of different things that you can use against offenders.”

He also complained that habitual traffic offenders always remove traffic signs to intentionally violate road laws.

“Those who willfully disobey traffic signs go in the middle of the night to remove those signs. When they are caught, they will say that there were no signs. They go and remove the signs to prove they aren’t aware of the signs. This happens all the time,” he added.

Furthermore, LASTMA’s GM disclosed that a Sports Utility Vehicle driver, Sunday Okodo has been caught in a viral video driving against traffic.

Okodo tipped a policeman over a bridge along the International Airport Road, Lagos. He has been prosecuted and charged with two counts of attempted murder and traffic offence.

The LASTMA boss stated that the police inspector recognized as David Zapaina, who was tipped over the bridge, has been discharged from the hospital.

He said, “He is alive and he has been discharged from the hospital but it is more like he needs to seek more local intervention to reset his bones.”

Oduyoye, thus, cautioned road users to comply with traffic laws and endeavor not to escape when apprehended.