NEWS FLASH: Atilo Atide, We’re back on Lagos roads, VIS tells motorists

The Vehicle Inspection Service in Lagos State says its officers are back on Lagos roads to carry out its statutory life-saving mandate through enforcement of motor vehicles’ roadworthiness.

The Director of VIS, Mr Akin-George Fashola, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday.

He said residents of the state, especially road users, thought the Vehicle Inspection Officers were off the roads.

Former Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had banned the VIOs from operating on the roads over reported excesses.

But Fashola said, “Since the advent of this administration, citizens still believe that VIS or VIOs are still off the roads.

Related: These Are The Duties and Functions of LASTMA, VIO and FRSC Officers

“As a matter of fact, we are back on the roads to do the needful. We have embraced a lot of new practices and procedures. We have embraced technology and that still needs the presence of VIOs on our roads in Lagos where technology is limited.

“The presence of VIOs is required, so we are on the road. A lot of people still believe that we are still under the previous ban from the road.’’

According to him, the period of the ban was for the vehicle inspectors to strategise and return with fresh ideas and ways of performing their duties.

He said for the entire period the VIS was off the road, most drivers and vehicle owners became careless about roadworthiness, particulars and conditions of their vehicles.

“Some of the citizens are having difficulties with us being on the road now and we are also having difficulties with them because they don’t want to believe that we are back on roads,’’ the VIO boss said.

Fashola said only 50 per cent of vehicles in the state were roadworthy.

Warning To Drivers: That CCTV May Put You In Jail or Have Your Car Impounded

This is a warning to all drivers in Lagos that are always in a hurry to break the traffic rules, your days of reckoning are coming and it's coming very very fast.

A driver got a message from the Lagos VIS that he broke the traffic rules and as a first-time offender, he was billed for 30,000 naira. That sounds strange, many questions like how are they able to track him, how did they know he didn't wait for the traffic light, how come they were able to know and get his details, all these and more we shall dissect shortly.

This is the format of the SMS they sent across...

Your vehicle (plate number) committed a TRAFFIC OFFENCE with bill no xxxxxx. Visit VIS HQ Alausa within 7 days to avoid impoundment".

In 2017/2018, The Lagos State Government decided to go digital in the handling of its traffic management, they took a step by upgrading and their vehicle inspection facilities across the state, they went and understudy a system in the UK called the ANPR. The mechanism displayed is the Automatic Number Plate Recognition. An ANPR is a CCTV camera that can send a driver back to its village if such is not careful.

According to Wikipedia, an ANPR Machine can be used to store the images captured by the cameras as well as the text from the license plate, with some configurable to store a photograph of the driver.
The systems commonly use infrared lighting to allow the camera to take the picture at any time of day or night, with the ANPR technology taking into account plate numbering variations from place to place.

The machine put in place is called the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and it comes in the form of a CCTV. To the drivers, it's just an ordinary CCTV but to the government, it's a tracking device which helps to track and trail any defaulters.

Let's see how this ANPR works for public enlightenment. According to police.uk, An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is used to help detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level, including tackling travelling criminals, Organised Crime Groups and terrorists. ANPR provides lines of enquiry and evidence in the investigation of crime and is used by law enforcement agencies. It may be safe to say that it works alone without supervision on a 24/7 working mode. That means that CCTV at Apapa, Ikoyi, VI, Ikeja may just be an ANPR just waiting for you to cross the line.

How it works

Gone are those days when VIO officials will be running after your car, this time, you hand over your self to the government official.

As a vehicle passes an ANPR camera, its registration number is read and instantly checked against database records of vehicles of interest. Police officers can intercept and stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and, where necessary, make arrests. A record for all vehicles passing by a camera is stored, including those for vehicles that are not known to be of interest at the time of the read that may in appropriate circumstances be accessed for investigative purposes. The use of ANPR in this way has proved to be important in the detection of many offences, including locating stolen vehicles, tackling uninsured vehicle use and solving cases of terrorism, major and organized crime. It also allows officers’ attention to be drawn to offending vehicles whilst allowing law-abiding drivers to go about their business unhindered.

We noticed that some of these ANPR cameras are already installed across some strategic spots in Lagos but the VIS/LASG are not telling us where they are, all they do is stand at a data collection point and see things from afar. But we have it on a good note there is one in Ikeja precisely close to Alausa Sect/Shoprite Mall, there is one too at Ikoyi and VI respectively.

How offenders are caught

When a driver breaks any traffic rule and the ANPR automatically capture your license plate, it sends it to the database where your information is. For example, if a driver of LASG-02 breaks the traffic code, the camera scans and picks the details with pictorial evidence, sends to the admin, the admin do a search on this plate number base on the information you use when registering or renewing any of your particulars, most times they are verified which makes it easier for them to easily append you.

These are some of the images if the ANPR cameras we got for you when they are undergoing training in Lagos late last year.

Images Courtesy:
Soft Alliance

These Are The Duties and Functions of LASTMA, VIO and FRSC Officers

Many a time Nigerian road users fall victim of extortion of the law enforcement. Imagine a LASTMA official checking your car documents, this is not absurd but a slap on his employers. LASTMA officials are not meant to check neither are they to ask for car particulars. Ignorance is not an excuse in the court of law so its expedient one knows the duties of each law enforcement and try to decipher their modus operandi and what their line of duties.

There are 4 authorized law agencies which are mandated by law to regulate traffic, cars, and roads in Nigeria. While some are restricted to state roads, the rest are everywhere. For those in Lagos, the fear of LASTMA, VIO, FRSC and Police call for wisdom but most times due to the way we fear these folks, they act mostly on illegalities. For example, a video was trending on Twitter over the weekend between a LASTMA official and a Taxify driver, according to reports, the LASTMA officer asks for the driver's documents and other items. What most drivers don't know that this is not their duty, this is the duty reserved for FRSC and Police alone and not the LASTMA or VIO.

AutoReportNG decided its times to get our readers to enlighten on the duties of LASTMA, VIO, FRSC and Police on Nigerian highways.

LASTMA

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority is a Lagos State-owned agency under the ministry of transport. The agency was established in the year 2000 to transform the state transport system to ensure free flow of traffic in the state and also reduce road accidents. People usually pronounce "LASTMA" as "LASMA" instead of Last-ma

Responsibilities and Duties of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA)

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Control, Management and Regulation of traffic-related matters within Lagos Metropolis
• Public Education and Enlightenment of drivers and motorists on the proper use of the highways
• Traffic Safety and Accident Management
• Conduct research on drivers’ behaviors and traffic safety
• Install and maintain traffic control devices on the highways
• Relate with other traffic management agencies
• To develop a Culture of Regulation, control, and management of traffic operations statewide;
• To ensure hitch-free traffic flow on Lagos road;
• To develop the most efficient and effective means of bringing about safety improvement
• Co-operate with bodies agencies or groups engaged in road safety activities or in the prevention of accidents on the highways;
• Determine works and devices designed to improve traffic flow and advise the appropriate road works offices on the locations where such works and devices are required;
• Identify, develop, promote and maintain new or alternative methods of traffic management and road safety

Related: Yet Again, Many Injured As Two BRT Buses Collide In Ikorodu - Photos

VIS/VIO

Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) is a directorate in the Ministry of Transportation. The service is established to inspect, control regulate and enforce the roadworthiness of motor vehicles in the state.

Duties Of VIO

• Pre-registration inspection of vehicles
• Co-operating with other agencies to enforce traffic rules and regulations
• Providing accessible emergency services
• Co-operating with relevant agencies engaged in road safety activities or in the prevention of accidents on the highways
• Inspection and issuance of Road Worthiness Certificate (RWC) in respect of all vehicles
• Ensuring that all vehicles plying roads are roadworthy at all times
• Training and testing of applicants for driver’s license
• Training and testing of applicants for Rider’s Card;
• Carrying out inspection and issuing a report on accident vehicles in the State
• Preparing and keeping statutory registers and a database of all certificates issued and revoked

FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Commission is the Government Agency with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria. Founded in 1988, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) operates in all Nigerian states as well as the Federal Capital Territory and is the lead agency in Nigeria on road safety administration and management. The statutory functions include: Making the highways safe for motorists and other road users as well as checking roadworthiness of vehicles, recommending works and infrastructures to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways and educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of road discipline on the highways.

Duties

• Making the highway safe for motorists and other road users.
• Recommending works and devices designed to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways
• Educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of discipline on the highway.
• Preventing or minimizing accidents on the highway
• Clearing obstructions on any part of the highways
• Educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways
• Designing and producing the driver’s license to be used by various categories of vehicle operators
• Determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s license
• Designing and producing vehicle number plates
• The standardization of highway traffic codes
• Giving prompt attention and care to victims of accidents
• Conducting researches into causes of motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result of such researches
• Determining and enforcing speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices
• Cooperating with bodies or agencies or groups in road safety activities or in the prevention of accidents on the highways
• Making regulations in pursuance of any of the functions assigned to the Corps by or under this Act.
• Regulating the use of sirens, flashers and beacon lights on vehicles other than ambulances and vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, Fire Service, and other Para-military agencies
• Providing roadside and mobile clinics for the treatment of accident victims free of charge
• Regulating the use of mobile phones by motorists
• Regulating the use of seat belts and other safety devices
• Regulating the use of motorcycles on the highway
• Maintaining the validity period for drivers’ licenses which shall be three years subject to renewal at the expiration of the validity period
• In exercise of the functions, members of the Commission shall have the power to arrest and prosecute persons reasonably suspected of having committed any traffic offense.

See Moment Sanwo-Olu Signs The Order On VIO, LASTMA & LAWMA, Tours Alausa - Pics

This is Lagos and in Lagos, the people, not even the governor sleeps. While some governors are yet to resume for duty in their respective states, some are still basking in the euphoria of being in power but in Lagos, the man in charge has resumed work and he is not joking all...

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu today resumes office and immediately signed the first Executive Order on Indiscriminate refuse dumping, traffic management, Public works, and others .. says this is not to arrest anyone but to ensure the State is clean and in order to move the state forward. 

The Governor while explaining the First Executive Order on Refuse Dumping, Drainages, Public works, LASTMA officials to work till 11pm on 2 shifts ... etc He also said that the VIO will be back at Lagos roads, this is because the state needs them more and he says VIO should not use this opportunity to start arresting indiscriminately but educate the public more on the what they need to have in their vehicles especially during this rainy season.

An Abuja Based Lady Narrates A Bitter Experience With VIO Officials In Abuja

Despite the message and orientation by the federal government that change begins with us, it seems all those are formalities and not applicable to civil servants especially those who are at the helms of affair in the nation.

A woman named Affi Bassey has taken to her page to explain her ordeal in the hands of the VIO officials in Abuja. According to her, her driver's license expired May 17th and normally under the FRSC law, you have a grace period of 7 days (a week) to renew the documents but it seems these VIO officials have another agenda, not only did they arrest her, they deflate her tyres and made her pay a whopping 15000 naira instead of the normal 10.500 which is the official price and guess what? No receipts.

Read her order below...

It happened to me!

You know that state of being where you get bullied and harassed and you are helpless to do anything, simply because the person is 'in power' at that moment? That's the state I was earlier today.

VIO stopped me around 9am today to check my papers.
So my vehicle papers expired May 17th, precisely 4 days ago.

VIO: Madam you have to renew your papers o.

Me: Yes I know, I will do it end of the month when I get salary. I have a grace period abi?

VIO: Madam the grace period is 7 days before the expiry date
You have to do your vehicle papers...

(and then pauses)...

Me: 😷

VIO: You have to go to our office

Me: Okay sir

And he enters the car after so much drama and fuss of not sitting in front since the person seated there did not get down for him. They took me into their VIO garage.

All these were after collecting my 5years drivers license and pocketing it. I asked for it and they said they'll give me once we get to their office. (They lied)

They booked me, and the madam in charge of that unit in Katampe, Abuja said I have to renew my vehicle papers for 12,000 (official price is 10,500) and instead of a penalty fee of 9000, I should pay 3000.
(Thought she was trying to help, turned out I was wrong. She dey form tough nut to crack, dey show power)

Finally got the money and asked them to show me the office to pay to. For where? They refused o. They insisted I must give the 15000 to the officer who arrested me. And when I refused and went looking for the right place to pay, they deflated my front Tyre.

Their excuse was I refused to give them my car key.

Meanwhile, they had my driver's license with them, I was packed inside their compound which has a gate, so of course, I couldn't run out even if I wanted to. And they equally saw the frantic effort I made to get the papers done in their office.

*sigh*
Lalas, I paid the 15000 naira to them, paid 500 to get a 'vulcanizer' to fix my tyre, and was told to come back tomorrow to get my drivers license and my vehicle papers.
No receipt.

Today is one of the very few times I have felt like leaving this country for good... It left me feeling like I got harassed for wanting to do the right thing.