Lagos Warns Operators of Unpainted Commercial Taxis

The Lagos State government has warned individuals operating commercial vehicles not painted in the prescribed State taxi colour to desist from such acts or face the wrath of the Law.

Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, who said this in his Office at Secretariat, Alausa, while briefing reporters on the activities of his Ministry, said that the use of unpainted taxis is not only a security risk but also a contravention of Section 25 of the Lagos Road Traffic Law which stipulates, “any person who drives or being the owner, permits any other person to drive on a high way, a motor vehicle which is not registered or licensed, or does not have affixed to it an identification mark in the prescribed manner shall be guilty of an offence”.

He said that the State Government has been inundated with various criminal acts perpetrated by some of the operators of unpainted taxis especially at night and as such the government would not fold its arms and allow such criminal act to continue unabated.

Opeifa said that the Law Enforcement Agents have been directed to immediately commence enforcement and anyone caught operating unpainted taxis would be dealt with in accordance with the Law so as to serve as deterrent to others.

Reiterating the present administration’s commitment to ensure security, safety of lives and property of its citizens, he advised Lagosians to stop patronizing unpainted taxis in the State, stressing that it is in their own interest to be cautious whenever they want to board taxis as unpainted taxis pose a serious threat to the safety of their lives.