THE management of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authourity (LASTMA) has denied involvement in an accident of a commercial bus that trampled upon the foot of a young lady by the roadside at Chisco bus stop, Lekki on Wednesday, 13 April 2022, where an innocent LASTMA officer was seriously assaulted and injured.
This was disclosed by Filade Olumide, LASTMA Spokesperson in a statement which said, “From investigation conducted by the agency and information received, the LASTMA officer, Adebanjo Adeoye visited the GLO office at Chisco bus stop at about 9.30am to revalidate his National Identification Number (NIN) for his phone line that was blocked but GLO office was yet to open its doors to customers.
“Adebanjo therefore decided to go back to his beat around Ajah and crossed the road to get a bus to take him. At this time, a commercial bus driver who was picking passengers at an undesignated bus stop must have sighted the officer thinking he was coming after him for the illegality he was committing, drove recklessly and trampled upon the foot of the lady seen in the video while the motorist escaped from the scene.
“The passers-by / bystanders for want of who to vent their anger falsely accused Adebanjo of being the cause of the accident, descended on the innocent officer and thereby seriously injured him, inspite of pleas by other officers at the scene.
“Adebanjo was eventually rescued by an armed police officer, while the crowd insisted on reporting the incident at the Ajiwe Police Station where after initial investigation by the DPO, Adebanjo was exonerated while the DPO said his attackers should have poured their energies into apprehending the errant motorist that marched the foot of the lady and also that the incident was not within Ajiwe jurisdiction.
“Adebanjo was then moved to Ilasan Police Station to incident the attack and thereafter taken to hospital for medical attention,”
The LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba has reiterated his warning once again, that the people should stop attacking government officials or be ready to face the full weight of the law.
He noted that members of the public should at all times channel any grievance they may have against any government official to the appropriate authorities for resolution instead of attacking them as they are out there to provide service to the populace.
Unfortunately, none of Adebanjo’s attackers was apprehended but the Police are out hunting for identified perpetrators of the attack on Adebanjo.
