LASTMA Kicks As Commercial Driver Stabs Officer

LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba

Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, the General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, has said the agency would no longer tolerate any act of assault, physical attack or attempted murder on any official working for the government, especially LASTMA officers.

He noted that the perpetrators of such misdemeanors would be made to face the full wrath of the law by the state government.

Oreagba said this in light of “attempted murder” by a Zuzuki commercial mini bus driver (Korope) with registration number KJA 953 YE, Ibrahim Yusuf on a LASTMA officer, Traffic Manager Awotola Victor, operating at the Ojodu-Berger-Ogba axis.

It was learnt that Victor was stabbed while he attempted, alongside the patrol team, to apprehend Yusuf who was causing obstruction around 3.30pm on Saturday, February 12, 2022.

The General Manager noted that assault on government officials while carrying out their lawful duties “is becoming too rampant and the government is ready to put a stop to this through diligent prosecution of such person(s) no matter how highly placed in the society”.

He said this in a statement on Wednesday titled, ‘LASG will no longer tolerate assault on government workers – LASTMA general manager’ by Asst. Director, Public Affairs LASTMA, Olumide Filade.

The statement read, “According to reports received on the incident, Yusuf, the mini bus driver and offender, was noted to be causing willful obstruction at River Valley Estate and after refusing all entreaties to move away from the place, the vehicle was to be apprehended. At this juncture, the driver disappeared only to reappear unexpectedly with a big knife with which he cut Awotola’s head and neck, whilst he escaped afterward with the aid of the street urchins around the area but his vehicle was apprehended and its custody taken by the agency.

“On Sunday, one of the chairmen of the minibus association/union produced the attempted murderer at the Ojodu Police Station where he is currently cooling his heels in detention, awaiting arraignment in court.”

While urging Lagos road users to be law-abiding, Oreagba stated that “Any road user that violates the State Traffic Law as stated in the amended Lagos Transport Reform Laws of 2018 and in line with the state government first pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda will have themselves to blame for committing assault on any government official.”

The Legal Director of LASTMA, Kehinde Akerele, noted that the motorist would be charged with attempted murder.