Crossover night: LASTMA bans illegal parking

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has warned motorists against indiscriminate parking during the crossover night celebration.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, issued the warning in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

Mr Bakare-Oki also warned that unlawful obstruction of access routes around places of worship, markets, nightclubs, event centres, and other major social convergence points would not be tolerated.

According to him, crossover night typically sees a surge in vehicular and pedestrian movements, often worsened by loosely coordinated activities such as carnivals, street jams, roadside festivities, and spontaneous celebrations.

He said, “While recognising the cultural, religious, and communal value of these activities, LASTMA condemns the misuse of public roads, including their conversion into improvised parking spaces or informal event venues.

Such acts are egregious violations of traffic regulations with far-reaching implications for public safety, emergency response, and urban mobility.”

Mr Bakare-Oki therefore admonished motorists to avoid abandoning vehicles on carriageways, road shoulders, medians, pedestrian walkways, or critical access routes leading to worship centres and social hubs.

He cautioned organisers and participants of carnivals, street parties, and other festive activities against blocking highways, inner roads, or access routes without lawful authorisation and prior coordination with authorities.

Addressing expected traffic challenges, he said LASTMA had activated a reinforced traffic management, monitoring, and enforcement framework for crossover night to ensure smooth vehicular movement and public safety across the state.

According to him, trained officers, supported by rapid response units and advance surveillance teams under the new “LASTMA 24-Hour Night Gangs” initiative, will be strategically deployed at identified traffic flashpoints across the state.

“This will ensure seamless vehicular mobility, rigorously enforce parking regulations, and swiftly neutralise any unlawful obstructions to traffic flow,” he said.

He emphasised that offenders would be sanctioned in strict compliance with extant traffic laws, without exception.

Mr Bakare-Oki further appealed to religious institutions, market leaders, club operators, and event organisers to demonstrate civic responsibility by providing adequate parking facilities.

He urged them to implement internal traffic control measures and work closely with traffic authorities to prevent congestion from spilling onto public roads.

He also called on residents and visitors to cooperate fully with traffic officials, adhere to all traffic directives, and exercise patience, restraint, and responsibility as Lagos welcomes the New Year.