The Managing Director (MD) of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) Abimbola Akinajo, has encouraged passengers to report reckless drivers of state-owned buses.
Akinajo, who said LAMATA had zero tolerance for misbehaviour among its drivers, said two had been jailed for defrauding passengers.
The LAMATA MD stressed that payment of cash for bus fare had been scrapped, explaining that passengers can only pay with their cards.
Akinajo revealed on Wednesday that two drivers were currently at the Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, for defrauding passengers, warning that no passenger should pay cash to drivers of government-operated buses known as the BRT buses.
Akinajo harped on this while speaking during an event held at Abiola Crescent, Ikeja, Lagos, to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the adjudged winner of the 12 June 1993 presidential election.
She said, “When you see any of our buses and you have any problem with them please take note of the number. Not necessarily the plate number but there is a number on the bus. If you tell me the number of that bus, I can tell you who was driving at a point.
“If you tell me the number of that bus and what time, I can tell you where that bus was supposed to be and who was driving it. We have dealt with a number of our bus drivers. If a driver is misbehaving on the road, please send us a message, there are numbers on LAMATA website”.
Warning against paying cash to BRT drivers, she said, “We have a card system. Also note that on our buses, you are not supposed to pay cash. All of us should have that card so that drivers will not tell you there is no change, and ask you to drop or charge you more than expected.
“We have two drivers in Kirikiri today for defrauding our people. Lagos is not taking it lightly with them. If you report, they will be dealt with”.
In March, a woman, Kubura Oluyemo, gave birth while onboard a Lagos BRT, which she boarded from Ikorodu to Fadeyi.
She disclosed this during a visit made to her by the officials of LAMATA.
LAMATA disclosed that Oluyemo gave birth to a baby girl named Dayan on Wednesday, 27 March 2024, on a BRT from Ikorodu en route to TBS.
