A short distance from the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminal in Oshodi, Lagos, lies a busy loading bay serving routes to Palmgrove, Onipanu, and Yaba. Across the road, buses heading towards Gbagada line up for passengers. Within this bustling transport hub, however, another activity quietly thrives — the open sale and consumption of alcohol.
When THE WHISTLER correspondent visited the area shortly before 9:00 a.m., a group of young men gathered at a corner initially appeared to be engaged in a routine meeting. A closer look revealed otherwise. The spot was an informal alcohol stand, where the men were drinking and smoking.
Notably, they were not limited to street urchins. Many were commercial drivers operating from the nearby loading bay — individuals responsible for transporting passengers across the city.
Over a period of about two months, THE WHISTLER monitored multiple garages and loading bays across Lagos, including Obalende, Oshodi, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Abule-Egba, and Kola. A consistent pattern emerged: the visible sale and consumption of alcohol within these transport hubs, despite an existing ban.
In several instances, drivers were observed consuming sachet alcohol while on duty — in Kola, Ikeja, and Oshodi — raising concerns about road safety and enforcement gaps.
Government Crackdown
In August 2024, operatives of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, confiscated alcoholic drinks worth over N1m during raids at garages across the state.
The enforcement exercise targeted locations including Olupese Terminal Park and Oshodi-Bolade garages. According to LAGESC, the operation formed part of broader efforts by the state government to curb alcohol consumption among commercial drivers — a practice identified as a major contributor to road accidents.
At the time, the Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Cole (retd.), reiterated that the ban on alcohol sales in parks and garages remained in force, adding that arrested traders would be prosecuted.
“These drinks remain banned for sale in all parks and garages of the state and the street traders who have since been arrested will be prosecuted in accordance with the state Environmental Laws,” Cole said.
He further highlighted the psychological and cognitive risks associated with alcohol consumption, noting that it impairs reasoning and increases the likelihood of poor decision-making among drivers.
Passengers, he added, should take responsibility for their safety by reporting drivers found consuming alcohol while on duty.
Legal Backing And Sanctions
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has also reinforced the prohibition. In April 2025, the agency warned that eating, drinking, or smoking while driving constitutes an offence under the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.
In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, LASTMA stressed that such behaviours amount to distracted driving and endanger public safety.
“Smoking, drinking and eating while driving is an offence according to the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018,” the agency stated.
Offenders risk penalties including vehicle impoundment, a three-month jail term, or up to six months of community service, depending on the severity of the violation and court rulings.
Rising Toll Of Alcohol-Related Accidents
Despite these measures, alcohol-related incidents continue to occur.
In May 2025, a commercial bus driver under the influence of alcohol crashed into a pole in the Alausa area of Ikeja, leaving multiple passengers seriously injured. Among them were a couple seated in the middle row of the vehicle.
According to LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq, preliminary investigations confirmed that the driver lost control due to alcohol impairment.
“The ferocity of the impact triggered widespread alarm and resulted in significant injuries to several passengers,” Adebayo said, noting that four severely injured victims were rescued and stabilised by nearby LASTMA officials.
Statistics from enforcement agencies further underscore the risks. In December 2025, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) disclosed that at least 91 people died in road crashes across Lagos between January and November of that year.
The Lagos Sector Commander, Kehinde Hamzat, attributed major cause of road accidents to human factors, which includes reckless driving and substance abuse.
More recently, LASTMA reported that 69 people died in road accidents in the first quarter of 2026, with 246 others sustaining injuries. The agency also handled over 600 accident scenes and recorded nearly 18,000 traffic offences through technology-driven enforcement systems.
Research Evidence On Substance Abuse Among Drivers
Empirical research supports these concerns. A study published in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Studies, titled “Drug Use, Driving Behaviour, Accident Rate and Passengers’ Injury among Commercial Drivers in Oshodi, Lagos”, found significant links between substance use and risky driving behaviour.
The study, which surveyed 478 commercial drivers, revealed a drug use prevalence rate of 36.4 per cent, with 47.7 per cent exhibiting risky driving behaviours. It also recorded an accident rate of 13.4 per cent and passenger injury rate of 7.5 per cent.
Findings indicated that both the frequency and quantity of substance use significantly predicted accident rates and injury outcomes among passengers.
No Level Of Alcohol Consumption Is Completely Risk-Free, WHO Warns
