Motorists beat up LASTMA official for ‘misconduct'

By Unknown

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Share :

Tweet

A yet-to-be-identified official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority was beaten up on Monday afternoon at the Ogolonto area, Ikorodu in Lagos for what motorists described as an “immodest attitude.”

The LASTMA official, whose uniform was blood-stained, was beaten up by a combined team of motorists and street urchins, otherwise known as area boys, at about 12.30pm. When our correspondent got to the scene of the clash, a transporter in the garage, who identified himself simply as Obisesan, said the LASTMA official was beaten up due to his “overbearing attitude.” He said, “There were about five LASTMA officials at this junction at about 12.30pm.

A commercial driver with his conductor was approaching from inside the area. Their bus did not have any passenger.

By the time they got to the junction, two of the LASTMA officials climbed into the bus for a reason unknown to the driver, and ordered him to park. “While the driver was finding out what his offence was, one of the LASTMA officials placed his leg on the clutch. Meanwhile, the driver’s leg was on the turtle.

That was how the bus swerved and the engine got knocked. Motorists got angry, and the pandemonium started.” It was further learnt that while the commotion lasted, other LASTMA officials and traffic policemen on duty could not intervene, as the area boys continued to hit the LASTMA official.

Meanwhile, the motorist was also said to have sustained slight injuries in the scuffle. A LASTMA official at the bus stop, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent that they quickly alerted the police when they suspected the situation was getting out of hands. He said, “It took the intervention of the police to arrest the situation as the area boys were growing in number.
Eventually, when the policemen showed up, the culprit driver and some area boys were all taken to Ipakodo Police Division. “The driver’s bus is at the station and our injured colleague is also with them.” Our correspondent who also visited the division saw the bus, and met about 20 people including two LASTMA officials. When contacted on phone, the Chief Executive Officer of LASTMA,

Mr. Young Arabamen, said he had yet to receive any information of an injured official. “I do not have that information of any injured official,” he said. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said she would get back to our correspondent, but had yet to do so as of the time of going to press.