Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday launched Lagos Ride transport initiative with 1,000 new GAC cars rolled out for the first phase.

The taxi-hailing initiative, which is being operated on a lease-to-own basis, is a component of the government’s multimodal transportation blueprint executed under the Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of the THEMES agenda.

WuzupNigeria gathered each car also comes with a panic button to be used in case of assault or emergency.

An SOS or emergency panic button enables a driver or passenger to trigger an alert if they are having trouble such as attempted rape, robbery or terror attack.

The panic button is also on mobile application and is connected to the Control and Command Centre.

Recall that the need for a closed-circuit television and emergency panic button on State-owned transports became a social debate following the tragic death of a missing BRT passenger, 22-year-old Bamise Ayanwola, who was found dead on Carter Bridge in Lagos Island.

Her death had caused tension and backlash from Nigerians including Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham, who questioned the absence of a CCTV on the bus.

The initiative is a partnership between Lagos State-owned IBILE Holdings Limited and CIG Motors Company Limited.

Operators are required to pay about N1.9 million down payment, covering the 20 per cent equity of cost of vehicle, registration and insurance.

Each car being used in the scheme comes with technology-enabled security features that monitor every journey undertaken.

Sanwo-Olu noted the state had moved another step forward in its drive to develop an efficient transportation model in tune with modernity and comfort.

The Governor said the aim was not to run existing hailing ride operators out of business, but to offer safer alternatives and clear the roads of rickety cars.

The scheme, he added, will provide opportunities to the operators to become owners within three to four years.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “The need to provide better, dignifying and more rewarding means of transportation and livelihood for unemployed and underemployed population gave birth to the new ‘Lagos State Taxi Scheme’, which will be operated on a lease-to-own basis.

“Under this arrangement, a beneficiary will be provided a brand-new car which will become the driver’s property after completing payment of its subsidised cost.

“This scheme will complement the various bus services which are making significant impact in the lives of our people; the water transport service, which is recording unprecedented patronage, as well as the Blue and Red Line Rail services which are on course to begin operations between the last quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2023.”

To ensure riders’ and passengers’ security, security gadget, including a 360 dashboard camera that will give 24-hour audio-visual feeds to the control centre, has been pre-installed in each car deployed for the scheme.