By Kayode Oyekanmi
Like similar mega cities such as New York, New Delhi, Tokyo and
Beijing, Lagos equally has to grapple with enormous challenges as
it relates to maintenance of law and order. Lagos’ rising
population brings with it, huge socio-economic challenges which
make governance a tough call in the State.
It is a known fact that the Lagos State Government has continued
to make massive investment into the upgrading of existing
infrastructure across the State. However, being a cosmopolitan city
with a growing population, the attitude of recalcitrant motorists
as well as a penchant for environmental abuse among residents are
some of the factors that pose serious threat to the whole-some
growth and development of the City-State.
Road traffic offences, in particular, are quite prevalent in
Lagos. Flagrant disobedience of traffic rules and regulations is
especially widespread among recalcitrant commercial bus drivers,
‘Okada’ riders and motorists. Despite provision of designated bus
stops and lay byes constructed all over the state by government.
Commercial bus drivers with no regard for the law, continue to pick
and drop passengers as they so desire, thereby impeding the free
flow of traffic. This consequently leads to needless traffic
gridlocks on our roads and loss of man-hours, with resultant
effects on the socio-economic lives of the residents.
Similarly, indiscriminate waste disposal is another common
environmental challenge in Lagos. It is still a common sight to see
undisciplined residents empty huge sacks of waste in the drainage
whenever it rains. Despite the efficient manner in which the State
waste disposal outfit, LAWMA now operates, it is amazing that some
residents still utilize the services of cart pushers in dispensing
of waste. This, eventually, has grievous implications on free flow
of drains, especially during rainy season.
Universally, no society thrives on disorderliness and other such
irresponsible acts. Any society that disregards law and order
cannot attain much growth and development. It is the responsibility
of every government to enforce law and order in the society. This
helps to prevent anarchy and provides for a peaceful and just
society.
It is on this basis that the Mobile Courts, five (5) in all,
were inaugurated in Lagos State on Friday, February 5, 2016 by the
State Attorney General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem and the Chief Judge,
Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade. The introduction of the Mobile Courts
is one of the ways the State Government planned to ensure the
preservation of civility, as a culture in the society. The Courts
were inaugurated with a mandate to carry out on- the- spot trial of
traffic as well as environmental offenders and mete out immediate
punishments to those convicted. This also forms part of the reform
agenda of Government to fast track Justice Delivery and in the long
run, decongest the Courts and the Lagos Prisons.
The operation of the Mobile Court as the name connotes, is a
court on the move. For now, there are five Mobile Court Buses in
operation with five different Magistrates presiding over the
Courts. Aside the Magistrates, the Mobile Courts have other
personnel who work together as a team. These are the Court
Registrar, a Prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions
(DPP), a Defence Counsel from Office of the Public Defender(OPD),
an Accountant and 2 Police Officers, for the protection of the
Court while on the move and while sitting at any location. The
Mobile Court sits or adjudicates on cases/matters brought before it
by Officials of the Special Offences Task Force.
Before the Mobile Court moves out on its daily operation, a
detachment of policemen from the State Task Force with
Paramilitaries and LASTMA Officers are deployed to the Mobile Court
for enforcement of the Road Traffic Law, Illegal street trading and
other laws contained in the Schedule to the Special Offences Court
Law Caps S8 Laws of Lagos State 2015. The main goal of having the
compliment of these security agents is to ensure the safety and
protection of the Mobile Court officials.
After each Court sitting, where fines are awarded the offender
(defendant), proceeds to the designated Bank for payment and if it
is community service, Offender is directed to the Officers from the
Community Service Department of the Ministry of Justice.
The Mobile Court has no doubt contributed to making Lagos
metropolis a sane and orderly City to live in. According to the
State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, the Court since
inception has had Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty–Six
(4,426) offenders arraigned before it. The Court, working in
partnership with other enforcement agencies like KAI and LASTMA has
been able to successfully reduce street trading and traffic
gridlocks, occasioned by unethical / anti-social conducts of
recalcitrant motorists and Commercial bus drivers as well as
environmental nuisances, thereby improving the socio-economic
well-being of the residents of Lagos State.
However, it must be stressed that the Lagos State Mobile Court
initiative is by no means meant to dehumanize law abiding residents
as it was initially misunderstood by some members of the public. It
was essentially a creation of necessity created to make life more
meaningful and comfortable for all residents of the State.
It is true that there have been complaints by some aggrieved
individuals on the mode of operation of the Mobile Court and the
over bearing attitude of a few of its officials. However, members
of the public need to be reassured that such complaints have not
gone unattended. In fact, such feedback from residents is most
welcome, as it would serve to further deepen the fine tuning of the
operational system in order to provide better service delivery to
the people of Lagos State.
To build an orderly society that we all can be proud of,
Lagosians, and indeed Nigerians must come to term with the need to
respect and uphold the laws of the land. Circumventing rules that
are meant to entrench orderliness in the society is, to say the
least, counterproductive and will do no one, any good.
The urgent task before every Lagos resident, therefore,
particularly at this time, when Lagos State is celebrating its 50th
year anniversary since it was created, is to ensure that our
“Centre of Excellence”, the State of Aquatic Splendour does not
become a centre of anarchy. The time for all to embrace attitudinal
change is now!
By Kayode Oyekanmi
Like similar mega cities such as New York, New Delhi, Tokyo and
Beijing, Lagos equally has to grapple with enormous challenges as
it relates to maintenance of law and order. Lagos’ rising
population brings with it, huge socio-economic challenges which
make governance a tough call in the State.
It is a known fact that the Lagos State Government has continued
to make massive investment into the upgrading of existing
infrastructure across the State. However, being a cosmopolitan city
with a growing population, the attitude of recalcitrant motorists
as well as a penchant for environmental abuse among residents are
some of the factors that pose serious threat to the whole-some
growth and development of the City-State.
Road traffic offences, in particular, are quite prevalent in
Lagos. Flagrant disobedience of traffic rules and regulations is
especially widespread among recalcitrant commercial bus drivers,
‘Okada’ riders and motorists. Despite provision of designated bus
stops and lay byes constructed all over the state by government.
Commercial bus drivers with no regard for the law, continue to pick
and drop passengers as they so desire, thereby impeding the free
flow of traffic. This consequently leads to needless traffic
gridlocks on our roads and loss of man-hours, with resultant
effects on the socio-economic lives of the residents.
Similarly, indiscriminate waste disposal is another common
environmental challenge in Lagos. It is still a common sight to see
undisciplined residents empty huge sacks of waste in the drainage
whenever it rains. Despite the efficient manner in which the State
waste disposal outfit, LAWMA now operates, it is amazing that some
residents still utilize the services of cart pushers in dispensing
of waste. This, eventually, has grievous implications on free flow
of drains, especially during rainy season.
Universally, no society thrives on disorderliness and other such
irresponsible acts. Any society that disregards law and order
cannot attain much growth and development. It is the responsibility
of every government to enforce law and order in the society. This
helps to prevent anarchy and provides for a peaceful and just
society.
It is on this basis that the Mobile Courts, five (5) in all,
were inaugurated in Lagos State on Friday, February 5, 2016 by the
State Attorney General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem and the Chief Judge,
Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade. The introduction of the Mobile Courts
is one of the ways the State Government planned to ensure the
preservation of civility, as a culture in the society. The Courts
were inaugurated with a mandate to carry out on- the- spot trial of
traffic as well as environmental offenders and mete out immediate
punishments to those convicted. This also forms part of the reform
agenda of Government to fast track Justice Delivery and in the long
run, decongest the Courts and the Lagos Prisons.
The operation of the Mobile Court as the name connotes, is a
court on the move. For now, there are five Mobile Court Buses in
operation with five different Magistrates presiding over the
Courts. Aside the Magistrates, the Mobile Courts have other
personnel who work together as a team. These are the Court
Registrar, a Prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions
(DPP), a Defence Counsel from Office of the Public Defender(OPD),
an Accountant and 2 Police Officers, for the protection of the
Court while on the move and while sitting at any location. The
Mobile Court sits or adjudicates on cases/matters brought before it
by Officials of the Special Offences Task Force.
Before the Mobile Court moves out on its daily operation, a
detachment of policemen from the State Task Force with
Paramilitaries and LASTMA Officers are deployed to the Mobile Court
for enforcement of the Road Traffic Law, Illegal street trading and
other laws contained in the Schedule to the Special Offences Court
Law Caps S8 Laws of Lagos State 2015. The main goal of having the
compliment of these security agents is to ensure the safety and
protection of the Mobile Court officials.
After each Court sitting, where fines are awarded the offender
(defendant), proceeds to the designated Bank for payment and if it
is community service, Offender is directed to the Officers from the
Community Service Department of the Ministry of Justice.
The Mobile Court has no doubt contributed to making Lagos
metropolis a sane and orderly City to live in. According to the
State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, the Court since
inception has had Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty–Six
(4,426) offenders arraigned before it. The Court, working in
partnership with other enforcement agencies like KAI and LASTMA has
been able to successfully reduce street trading and traffic
gridlocks, occasioned by unethical / anti-social conducts of
recalcitrant motorists and Commercial bus drivers as well as
environmental nuisances, thereby improving the socio-economic
well-being of the residents of Lagos State.
However, it must be stressed that the Lagos State Mobile Court
initiative is by no means meant to dehumanize law abiding residents
as it was initially misunderstood by some members of the public. It
was essentially a creation of necessity created to make life more
meaningful and comfortable for all residents of the State.
It is true that there have been complaints by some aggrieved
individuals on the mode of operation of the Mobile Court and the
over bearing attitude of a few of its officials. However, members
of the public need to be reassured that such complaints have not
gone unattended. In fact, such feedback from residents is most
welcome, as it would serve to further deepen the fine tuning of the
operational system in order to provide better service delivery to
the people of Lagos State.
To build an orderly society that we all can be proud of,
Lagosians, and indeed Nigerians must come to term with the need to
respect and uphold the laws of the land. Circumventing rules that
are meant to entrench orderliness in the society is, to say the
least, counterproductive and will do no one, any good.
The urgent task before every Lagos resident, therefore,
particularly at this time, when Lagos State is celebrating its 50th
year anniversary since it was created, is to ensure that our
“Centre of Excellence”, the State of Aquatic Splendour does not
become a centre of anarchy. The time for all to embrace attitudinal
change is now!
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/lagos-mobile-court-and-social-regeneration/