The Lagos State Government is releasing impounded vehicles to owners without payment of fines.
The ongoing exercise, according to the state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde on Tuesday, is to palliate the hardship occasioned by the cash crunch arising from naira redesign and swap and the fuel scarcity and price increase.
Oladeinde in his remarks, put the exercise down to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s charity, naming requirement to qualify for the merciful programme.
His word, “There are some people that committed offences during that period and we understand the fact that money wasn’t easy to come by.
“Looking at the governor’s magnanimity, the governor has deemed it fit to ensure that people who committed crimes within that period and wanted to pay or couldn’t pay as a result of the shortage of cash, should come and pick up their cars and he has waved the fines.
“Mind you, that does not include major crimes committed. These are just minor traffic offences that have been committed in Lagos and this is showing empathy and trying to understand that look, we understand how difficult it has been and it is not a reason for us to stop you from making ends meet and so hence the governor’s magnanimity.
“All those who have committed a crime within that period should come and pick up their cars, that doesn’t mean people should continue to offend and so right now, what we are doing is to caution them not to commit the offence again.”
