In a major step towards improving mobility and urban order, the Lagos State Government has launched a 24-hour traffic management and enforcement operation, while also reclaiming key transport corridors in Apapa, Coastain, and Ijora from environmental degradation and illegal occupation.
The initiative, driven by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), marks a new phase in the state’s commitment to ensuring free vehicular flow and safety across the metropolis.
Speaking during the official inauguration, Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable, said the round-the-clock operational framework is part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s broader vision to sustain mobility and economic productivity in a city that never sleeps.
According to him, the 24-hour system will enable constant traffic monitoring, swift response to emergencies, and prompt clearance of obstructions at any hour, especially as Lagos prepares for the end-of-year festivities when vehicular movement typically intensifies.
“This initiative demonstrates our administration’s dedication to seamless transportation, safety, and efficiency across Lagos,” Giwa said. “It ensures that no matter the time of day, traffic incidents are promptly addressed, roads are cleared, and movement is guaranteed.”
A major feature of the reform is the establishment of a Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised LASTMA unit responsible for handling night-time traffic incidents such as breakdowns, crashes, and road obstructions.
Alongside the traffic reform, the government also carried out a large-scale enforcement and environmental cleanup exercise at Apapa Road, Coastain, and Ijora Under Bridge, clearing out shanties, illegal traders, and makeshift structures that had previously hindered road use and endangered public safety.
The operation, coordinated by Hon. Giwa in collaboration with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, MOPOL, the Lagos State Task Force, and the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and seized expired snacks and food items stored in unsanitary conditions.
Authorities further discovered blocked drainage channels filled with metallic waste, which had contributed to flooding in the area. Several commercial buses and tricycles operating illegally on the newly constructed Coastain Bridge and Apapa Road were also impounded.
Shanties beside St. Catholic Church School on Apapa Road were demolished to restore the area’s proper use, while makeshift hideouts under the Ijora Bridge were cleared to enhance security.
Hon. Giwa reiterated the Sanwo-Olu administration’s zero tolerance for lawlessness, stressing that Lagos must remain “a city defined by order, safety, and environmental responsibility.”
Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, LASTMA General Manager, urged residents, traders, and transport operators to comply with traffic and environmental regulations, noting that the government’s integrated 24-hour traffic and environmental management strategy reflects a sustainable model for urban mobility in Africa’s largest city.
He called on all stakeholders to support the initiative through responsible behaviour, adherence to laws, and respect for public spaces.
