By Boye Ajayi
Some commercial bus (Danfo) drivers have allegedly macheted an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Obasu Segun Godwin, to death, reports Persecondnews.
The incident occurred at Anthony area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Another LASTMA officer, Adeniyi Hakeem was also injured in the encounter.
A statement issued by Filade Olumide, Assistant Director, Public Affairs, LASTMA said the General Manager, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye condemned in strongest terms the senseless and unwarranted murder of the officer by the operator of a Suzuki commercial bus otherwise known as ‘korope’ and others at Anthony area of Lagos State.
Oduyoye explained that Godwin and Hakeem were attacked with machetes and other dangerous weapons by the driver of a commercial bus with registration number FKJ 452 YC, plying Bariga to Oshodi via the Ikorodu Road axis in cohort with some other drivers, after his vehicle was apprehended for contravening the Traffic Law of the State.
He said the sad fact about the whole saga was that the two officers were in mufti and on their way home, having completed their morning shift and closed for the day before the recalcitrant commercial bus drivers went berserk, seeking any LASTMA officers to attack for carrying out their statutory duties.
He said: “Obazu was struck severally with machetes resulting in deep lacerations on the head and his eventual death, while Adeniyi Hakeem, who was also attacked in similar fashion has been hospitalised and in coma”.
Noting that some senior officers, who were also in mufti and around the area were lucky to escape the mob attack, the General Manager warned all cultists doubling as commercial bus drivers that any traffic violation or infraction shall be punished or penalised as enacted by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Oduyoye noted that seven of the culprits have been caught and handed over to the police, while the driver of the bus and others are still at large, assuring that the police would conduct a proper investigation, just as the full wrath of the law would be brought to bear on all those found guilty of taking laws into their hands.
The LASTMA Director of Operations, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba described the attack as a very sad event which could have been averted, stressing that the unfortunate incident would not deter the agency from carrying out its functions and duties as laid down by the Law of the State.
Condoling with the family of the deceased officer, Oreagba lamented that the State and the agency had lost too many good law enforcement officers to these lawless and recalcitrant motorists and that this had to stop, promising to ensure that the severely injured officer, who is still in a coma at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, is well taken care of.
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