Ogun State Police Commissioner, Bode Ojajuni, directed a renewed Ogun police traffic crackdown across the state’s 20 local government areas as the command reactivated Operation VELVET to improve road safety and maintain the free movement of vehicles on major highways.
The operation, directed by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, is designed to address traffic offences that endanger motorists and other road users while also closing security gaps along major transport corridors.
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The renewed enforcement covers a range of offences, including driving against traffic, reckless and dangerous driving, unauthorised use of emergency sirens and the use of missing, altered or concealed number plates.
Police officers will also target motorists driving without valid licences, vehicles carrying excessive loads and indiscriminate parking that obstructs traffic.
Ojajuni directed area commanders, divisional police officers and heads of operational units to ensure the exercise is implemented effectively within their respective jurisdictions.
At the same time, the commissioner stressed that enforcement must be carried out professionally and with respect for citizens’ fundamental rights.
“Operation VELVET must never serve as a pretext for extortion, illegal detention, harassment, or unauthorised impoundment of vehicles and documents,” Ojajuni warned.
He further warned that officers found demanding bribes, intimidating motorists or engaging in other forms of misconduct would face disciplinary action under existing police regulations.
The command also placed responsibility on supervisory officers, saying they would be held accountable for the conduct of personnel serving under their command.
For motorists, the message from the police is straightforward: compliance with traffic regulations will be expected, while attempts to evade enforcement through inducements could create additional problems.
The police advised members of the public not to offer bribes to officers and urged fleet operators, commercial transport workers and other road users to cooperate with personnel deployed for the operation.
Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Oluseyi Babasuyi, said the command remained committed to implementing the exercise professionally while seeking residents’ cooperation in creating safer roads across Ogun.
The reactivation of Operation VELVET comes as traffic management and road safety remain important concerns in Ogun, a major transport corridor linking Lagos with several parts of south-western and northern Nigeria.
Heavy commercial movement through the state makes compliance with traffic rules particularly significant on its major highways.
The latest operation therefore goes beyond routine traffic enforcement.
By combining road safety measures with security checks, the police are seeking to reduce dangerous driving practices while limiting opportunities for vehicles with questionable documentation or registration to pass through key routes unnoticed.
The emphasis on professional conduct is equally significant.
While tougher enforcement can help restore order on busy roads, the command has made clear that the exercise should not come at the expense of motorists’ rights.
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With Operation VELVET now active across all 20 local government areas, motorists and transport operators in Ogun face a more vigilant enforcement regime, with the police urging everyone to play their part in keeping the state’s roads safer and more orderly.
