A Mobile Court sitting in Benin City has convicted four more drivers in the metropolis for violating the state’s traffic laws, slamming the erring drivers with fines totaling N190,000 as well as psychiatric evaluation.
The culprits are Bright Okorie, a Nissan Vanette Bus driver with vehicle number GUE 110 ZY; Kingsley Ighadoro, a Mitsubishi Bus driver with vehicle number XG 767 USL; John Okunbor, a Nissan Vanette Bus driver with vehicle number: BDR 761 XA, and Blessing Idowu with Nissan Vanette Bus and vehicle number: FUG 322 ZY.
The convicted drivers are among those apprehended by the Edo State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) for driving against the traffic (one-way). The arrest and prosecution are a part of renewed efforts by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to restore sanity and order on roads in the Benin metropolis.
While Bright Okorie, Kingsley Ighadoro, and John Okunbor were fined N50, 000 and psychiatric evaluation, Blessing Idowu was slammed with a N40,000 fine and psychiatric evaluation.
The Edo State PUWOV Coordinator, Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie, while addressing journalists in Benin City, said the government remains committed to restoring sanity and order on roads within the Benin metropolis and will sustain the campaign to ensure that all erring drivers are arrested and duly prosecuted.
He charged, “Traffic laws are in place for the safety of all individuals on our roads and disregard for these laws put everyone at risk. This will not be tolerated in Edo as the government is committed to ensuring order and sanity on our roads and guaranteeing the safety of residents.
“We are stepping up the campaign against traffic offenders in the state encouraging other road users and motorists to report drivers who ply one-way or disregard the state’s traffic rules. Members of the public can record these drivers and send videos of the recording to the WhatsApp Number: 08132030846.”
The PUWOV chair added, “When we get video recordings of such disregard of the state traffic rules, we will ensure we apprehend these drivers to face prosecution.”