Driver Absconds As LASTMA Officer Finds Gun Inside Seized Vehicle

The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) says its officers recovered a gun inside an unregistered seized vehicle, identified as a black Honda. The vehicle was seized when the driver was found driving against traffic in the Sango-Tedo area inward Abijo GRA, along the Lagos-Epe expressway.

LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, in a statement on Thursday, stated that the driver absconded after he discovered that the officials had seen the gun.

Taofiq said the unregistered vehicle and the gun have been handed over to the divisional police officer (DPO) of Ilasan police station for further investigation.

“In no time that the owner/driver of the unregistered impounded vehicle (Honda) noticed that the gun (Pump Action) had been sighted inside his car, he immediately took to his heels and was nowhere to be found anymore,” the spokesperson said.

“The unregistered impounded vehicle (Honda car) with the recovered gun had been handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ilasan Police Station for further investigations.”

In Lagos, driving against traffic, popularly known as one-way driving, is an offense liable to a three-year jail term and forfeiture of the vehicle.

In September, the Lagos state government auctioned vehicles forfeited over traffic violations.

The incident sparked controversy as many residents criticized the law backing the forfeiture of vehicles due to traffic violations.