Bamise: Take a look at the new Lagos taxi scheme’s safety features.

On Wednesday, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu unveiled the first batch of 1,000 brand new GAC-branded vehicles for the state’s modernized taxi scheme.

This comes less than a month after Oluwabamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old tailor, went missing and was later found dead after taking a Lagos State-owned Bus Rapid Transit vehicle.

On Saturday, February 26, Ayanwola went missing after boarding a BRT bus. She was said to have boarded a bus bound for Oshodi at the Chevron Bus Station.

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The victim worked as a fashion designer in Ajah, Lagos, until her death, but spent her weekends with her sister in Ota, Ogun State. Her lifeless body was discovered by the roadside on Lagos Island’s Carter Bridge.

However, Sanwo-Olu stated that the government had put in place necessary security measures to protect Lagos residents who would be using the newly launched scheme, codenamed ‘Lagos Ride,’ to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Sanwo-Olu said a full security device, including a 360 dashboard camera that will provide 24-hour audio-visual feeds to the control center, had been pre-installed on each car deployed for the scheme to improve riders’ and passengers’ security.

He went on to say that each car had a physical panic button that anyone on board could use in the event of an assault or an emergency. According to the governor, the panic button is also available on the mobile app and is linked to the Control and Command Centre.

Sanwo-Olu revealed that the automobile assembly plant in Lagos, which is another component of CIG Motors’ and the State Government’s partnership, is 60 percent complete, with a September launch and start of operations expected.

“What we are seeing today in Lagos is the city’s transition from the rickety kabu kabu era to a brand-new, comfortable, and safe transportation system. Sanwo-Olu was quoted in a statement by his spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, as saying, “The multiplier effect of this singular initiative on job creation, youth employment, and economic growth and development in the State cannot be overstated.”

Abiodun Amokomowo, the Managing Director of IBILE Holding, also stated that as of last Tuesday, over 5,700 drivers had downloaded the driver’s mobile apps, with 1,786 of them submitting applications.

359 drivers have paid the registration and enrolment fee, while others are awaiting screening, according to Amokomowo.

“We will conduct full verification of applicants’ Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) ID cards, medical history, background check, and verification of NIN and Lagos resident registration numbers as part of the process each operator will go through for the safety and security of life and effective operations of the scheme,” he said.

The lease-to-own ride-hailing taxi initiative is part of the State Government’s multimodal transportation blueprint, which is being implemented under the Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s THEMES agenda.

The initiative is a collaboration between Lagos State-owned IBILE Holding Limited and CIG Motors Company Limited, with the goal of providing a clean and reliable taxi service throughout the metropolis at a reasonable cost, using brand-new vehicles.

Operators must pay a down payment of about N1.9 million, which covers the 20% equity of the vehicle’s cost, registration, and insurance. Every car in the scheme is equipped with technology-enabled security features that track every journey.