Motorists Accuse Anambra Traffic Agency Of Harassment, ₦300,000 Fines Over Bad Road
Motorists plying the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Anambra State have accused officials of the Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency of harassment and imposing heavy fines on drivers forced to use the opposite lane because of deep potholes.
The motorists alleged that ARTMA officials stationed around the People’s Club Bus Stop routinely apprehend drivers who divert to the opposite lane to avoid dangerous portions of the road.
According to the motorists, fines imposed on offenders range from ₦150,000 to ₦300,000, with some vehicles allegedly impounded when their owners are unable to pay.
The affected section of the road, particularly around the People’s Club axis, was observed to have deep potholes that made movement difficult for motorists travelling from Obosi towards Upper Iweka.
Some drivers said they were compelled to move into the opposite lane to avoid damaging their vehicles, only to be intercepted by traffic officials.
A commercial bus operator, identified as Mr Obinna, said his vehicle was impounded by ARTMA officials and taken to the agency’s office at Bridge Head, Onitsha, after he was accused of committing a one-way offence.
He said he was initially fined ₦300,000 but that the amount was later reduced to ₦150,000 following an appeal to the agency’s leadership.
Obinna described the situation as a “double tragedy”, saying motorists were first forced to contend with dangerous potholes before being subjected to heavy fines for trying to navigate the failed portion of the road.
Another driver, Chima Nwako, called on the state government to urgently rehabilitate the road, arguing that fixing the damaged sections would reduce one-way violations, traffic congestion and the risk of accidents.
Similarly, another motorist, Mr I. Ikegbu, said the road had remained in poor condition for months, forcing drivers to use the opposite lane to avoid the large potholes.
“We are not supporting ‘one-way’. But government should first fix that road,” Ikegbu said, alleging that traffic officials had focused more on enforcement than addressing the road condition responsible for the violations.
However, the Managing Director of ARTMA, Emeka Okonkwo, defended the enforcement activities, insisting that motorists who committed one-way offences must pay the prescribed fines.
Okonkwo warned motorists against driving against traffic but did not respond when asked why a ₦300,000 fine was being imposed.
The development has also raised questions about the state’s existing traffic-fine policy.
In 2025, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, announced that the maximum fine for any traffic offence in the state would be ₦10,000, effective October 14, 2025.
The governor said the policy was introduced to reduce the financial burden on motorists and ensure that traffic enforcement was balanced with consideration for the economic difficulties faced by residents.
Soludo also directed the establishment of a special task force to tackle illegal cash collection and promised that ARTMA would work towards providing properly designated and marked bus stops.
Motorists have therefore called on the state government to urgently address the failed portions of the Onitsha-Owerri Road while ensuring that traffic enforcement does not worsen the difficulties faced by road users.
