COMTUA decries indiscriminate activities of Lagos Abandoned Vehicles Committee

The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has decried the indiscriminate arrest of its members by the committee on removal of abandoned vehicles under the Ministry of Transportation, Lagos State.

This is contained in a letter dated Jan. 28, addressed to the Special Adviser, Ministry of Transportation, Lagos State, and signed by Mr Temilorun Komolafe, Director of Legal, COMTUA.

The letter is entitled: “Indiscriminate arrest and discrepancies associated with issuance of fine ticket by the Agency on Abandoned Vechicle.”

Komolafe said that COMTUA members’ vehicles were hijacked from drivers while in transit and driven away as abandoned vehicles by the agency.

“The vehicles are driven carelessly, thereby causing damages to some vehicles, and in a bid to carry out this operation, weapons are used by thugs attached to the team.

“Policemen attached to the team use guns freely and sometimes on our members.

“Fines are hardly issued but cash collections ranging from N300,000 to N500,000 are accepted.

“Where fines are issued it contains N150,000 as towing (even when trucks were driven), treatment for injured personnel N500,000 and fine to be paid N50,000,” he said.

He added that vehicles were deliberately kept for many days to generate daily charges of N2,000 as demurrage.

Komolafe said that there was no medium to seek redress or contest the ticket issued rather than extortion.

“Our members are harassed and injured mostly by thugs attached to their team. We strongly believe in your good offices to resolve this issue for us,” he said.

When contacted, Mr. Toyin Fayinka, Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, said that he had not received the letter.

“When I do receive the letter and know the content, I will address it accordingly,” Fayinka said.