An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Awotola Victor, has been hospitalised after he had his throat slit by a mini-commercial bus operator popularly called Korope, for enforcing the traffic law around Ojodu-Berger-Ogba axis in the state.
The Traffic manager was allegedly attacked by the mini-commercial bus operator, Ibrahim Yusuf, who also stabbed the LASTMA official on the head for impounding his vehicle while conveying passengers to their destination.
Awotola, it was learnt, was immediately rushed to the hospital by officials attached to a LASTMA patrol team in a critical condition after he was found bleeding heavily from his neck and head.
As gathered, Yusuf, who drives a Zuzuki commercial minibus with number plate KJA 953 YE, after stabbing Awotola, who alongside LASTMA patrol team impounded his vehicle, absconded immediately to evade arrest and onward prosecution.
The driver, The Guild learnt, was later apprehended by the chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and handed over to policemen attached to the Ojodu Police Station where he was currently been detained and probed over the attempted murder of a law enforcement official in the state.
Confirming the attack, General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, condemned the attack and disclosed that henceforth, the Lagos State Government would no longer tolerate any act of assault, physical attack as well as attempted murder on any official working for the government, especially LASTMA officers.
Oreagba, on Wednesday, stated that the perpetrators of such misdemeanors would be made to face the full wrath of the law by the state government.
According to him, 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.
Through a statement signed and released LASTMA’s spokesperson, Olumide Filade, the traffic management agency boss narrated that the attack was perpetrated weekend at about 3.30 pm when Awotola along the patrol team apprehend Yusuf who was obstructing the flow of traffic on the road.
Part of the statement reads: “According to reports received on the incident, Yusuf, the minibus 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”.
While urging Lagos road users to be law-abiding, Oreagba stated: “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, while commenting, noted that the suspect would be charged with attempted murder as the state government will diligently prosecute the case to a logical conclusion so as to serve as a deterrent to other motoring public with similar intentions.
The General Manager concluded that government expects voluntary compliance to the state traffic laws in order to make Lagos a 21st century economy for the benefit of all and sundry.
