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OYRTMA Insists Truck Owner Must Pay Fines for Traffic Law Violation
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) has maintained that the owner of a fallen container along Efunsetan Roundabout, Challenge, Ibadan, the state capital, one Mr Abdul-Mumeen, must pay fines for violating the state’s traffic law.
In a statement issued on Friday, the chairman of the agency, Mr Akin Fagbemi, said no amount of intimidation would deter the organisation from enforcing the law.
Recall that for about three weeks, the fallen container obstructed the flow of traffic in the area, causing members of the public to criticise the government for not taking action to ease the hardship they were being subjected to.
According to the OYRTMA chief, his organisation had to seek the cooperation of the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to remove the container on March 30, 2023.
In the statement issued today, the agency said that shortly after the container was evacuated, the owner came up and promised to do the needful, especially paying for the cost of the removal.
Mr Fagbemi said his organisation insisted that apart from paying for the costs of hiring a privately-owned crane and low-bed, Mr Abdul-Mumeen was asked to pay a fine of N1 million for sections 16 (a,b,c,p) and 17 (d) of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority Law 2009.
However, he expressed surprise that the President of the Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA), Mr Adeyinka Aroyewun, alleged the agency of demanding the payment of N850,000 into a private account.
In the statement, Mr Fagbemi alleged that Mr Aroyewun “on Wednesday, April 12, 2022, visited OYRTMA’s administrative headquarters in an attempt to influence the release of the container, claiming he is a revered member and stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and as such has a close personal relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, boasting that he will subsequently secure the release of the container without the payment of statutory fines and charges slammed against the owners.”
But Mr Fagbemi stressed that, “No amount of intimidation or interference will stop the authority from executing its constitutional responsibilities of ensuring safety on all roads in Oyo State and issuing fines to defaulting groups or individuals to serve as a deterrent to others.
“If you so much love the public of whom sympathy you now seek, you would not have allowed your member to jeopardize the lives and properties of the people of Oyo State for such a long time.
“As a matter of fact, you will not only pay service charges to the owners of the crane and low-bed equipment used in removing the container; you will also pay the sum of N1 million as an official fine for contravening sections 16 and 17 of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority Law, 2009.
“In addition, you will pay in full for the damages caused to the body and properties of those innocent road users whose vehicles were damaged in crashes caused by the abandoned container. This is Oyo State. We have laws guiding us and our operations.”
Meanwhile, Business Post could not reach Mr Aroyewun or Mr Abdul-Mumeen for comments on the issue.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A bill aimed at prohibiting hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles in Nigeria has been passed by the Senate.
The bill known as the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, imposes fines between N50,000 and N100,000 for violations if assented to by the President.
The piece of legislation was passed by the red chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday and should later be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Members of the upper chamber of the parliament explained that the law was amended to discourage distractions in commercial vehicles and improve the safety of commuters.
In addition, motorists who fail to cooperate with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion are liable to fines or imprisonment or both.
Lawmakers noted that this was to improve compliance with road safety regulations and reduce road crashes, as fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs were raised to N100,000 from N5,000, with the risk of spending two years behind bars.
It was also proposed that disobedience to traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices will now attract N100,000, while the fine for speed limit violations is now N100,000, with reckless driving now a fine of N100,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
By Dipo Olowookere
Residents and motorists plying the Aina Obembe Road in Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, may soon heave a sigh of relief as the excruciating traffic gridlock being experienced in the area both day and night may soon be a thing of the past.
This is because the chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, has directed those involved in indiscriminate truck parking along the road to remove the heavy-duty vehicles within one week, threatening to invoke appropriate enforcement measures for noncompliance with this directive.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the management of SENA Company, which owns the affected trucks, as well as the leadership of Oluwadara CDA and other key stakeholders like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the council’s secretariat, Mr Agbaje frowned at the prolonged inconvenience suffered by the community, stressing that public roads must remain accessible and safe for all users.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative approach in resolving the issue without undermining legitimate business operations, noting that he’s focused on finding a lasting solution to the gridlock experienced between Oluwaga and Aina Obembe, where parked trucks have continued to obstruct traffic, disrupt business activities, and pose safety concerns for residents and motorists.
He tasked the firm and the CDA to jointly identify and implement alternative parking arrangements that would remove all trucks from the affected roads and restore the free flow of traffic.
He declared that, “The welfare of our people remains our highest priority. No individual or corporate organisation should obstruct public infrastructure or create avoidable hardship for residents. We must ensure that economic activities coexist with public safety, order, and convenience.”
The council chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting orderly development, ensuring safe and accessible roads, improving traffic management, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive alongside the well-being of residents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.
According to an update issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, the import levy on new vehicles has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while the levy on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, which took effect on July 1, 2026.
The customs said the policy is designed to ease the cost of vehicle imports while advancing the government’s environmental sustainability objectives through the newly introduced Green Tax.
The implementation also reduces the overall import duty on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
As part of the Green Tax framework, a new environmental surcharge of between two per cent and four per cent will apply to petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2,000cc. However, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and passenger cars with engines below 2,000cc are exempt from the surcharge.
Beyond the automobile sector, the fiscal measures also lower import duties on several essential goods. The duty on imported rice has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, while crude palm oil now attracts a 28.75 per cent duty.
In addition, import duties on agricultural and manufacturing machinery have been completely removed to support local production, while Waste PET has been added to the export prohibition list to encourage domestic recycling.
