By Queen Kunde
A Lagos magistrate court has sentenced a commercial bus driver to two months’ imprisonment without the option of fine for driving against traffic along the busy Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, in a decisive move aimed at curbing rising recklessness on the corridor.
The Ojodu-Abiodun Magisterial District Court handed down the sentence following a special joint intervention patrol launched on February 10 to tackle persistent one-way driving along the Kara–Opic axis a stretch troubled by congestion due to ongoing bridge expansion joint construction.
The offender, identified as Koko Moses, was arrested while driving a Volkswagen bus with registration number MUS 89 YG against the flow of traffic. Further checks revealed he was also operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.
Authorities described his actions as a serious threat to public safety, particularly amid construction works that have already narrowed portions of the highway and heightened crash risks.
The enforcement operation was initiated by the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat, in collaboration with the Ogun State Sector Command and multiple security agencies. Officers from the Nigeria Police (Warewa, Ojodu-Abiodun and Isheri Divisions), TRACE, and the Nigerian Army were strategically deployed to flashpoints notorious for one-way violations.
Koko was promptly charged to court by CSP Ayegbede John, Divisional Police Officer of Warewa Police Station. Upon arraignment, the court found him guilty and imposed a custodial sentence without the option of fine a ruling officials say sends a clear message that impunity on the nation’s highways will not be tolerated.
FRSC said the intervention patrol has already led to an immediate reduction in one-way driving incidents along the corridor, underscoring the impact of coordinated enforcement and sustained visibility.
Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Akinwumi Fasakin, commended the Commissioner of Police, the Nigerian Army, TRACE, and other participating agencies for their swift response and collaboration.
The Corps Marshal also praised the joint team for effective coordination, reiterating the FRSC’s zero-tolerance stance on traffic violations that endanger lives. He assured motorists that enforcement operations would continue along critical corridors nationwide and urged drivers to obey traffic regulations, comply with traffic management directives during construction works, and prioritise safety at all times.
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway remains one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, and authorities say strict enforcement will continue as construction progresses to prevent avoidable crashes and loss of lives.