The Coordinator of the Edo State Public Response Safety Team, Kelly Okungbowa, announced on Thursday that a mobile court will soon be established to try traffic offenders in the state.
He stated that offenders found guilty would initially face community service, as Governor Monday Okpehbolo has directed that no one should be sent to prison at this time.
Okungbowa made this known after the governor launched the safety team, which aims to address frequent traffic gridlock, particularly in and around King Square, Benin City, and other busy intersections.
The gridlock is often caused by indiscriminate parking, picking up and dropping off passengers, and street trading, among other issues.
During a sensitisation tour around the city centre with other team members, Okungbowa emphasised the importance of informing the public about the team’s existence to restore law and order.
“We are here to clear Ring Road and all the streets around King Square of illegal street trading and wrongful parking, which lead to traffic gridlock around the city centre.
“The governor has introduced the Public Response Safety Team, and our role is to clear the city centre and ensure that traders on the streets and walkways, market women, and drivers who park or trade indiscriminately are held accountable to ensure a free flow of traffic,” he said.
He further warned bus and taxi drivers, market women, street traders, and others who obstruct traffic to desist from such practices.
“We have not yet started arresting offenders, but we have embarked on sensitisation to inform the public that the Edo State Government will no longer tolerate illegal street trading, indiscriminate parking, and passenger pickups that obstruct traffic.”