Many injured as LASTMA, protesters clash in Lagos

There was pandemonium in the Super area of Abule-Egba, Lagos, on Tuesday, as officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and some irate youths clashed over the death of a motorist.

The deceased was reportedly crushed to death by the driver of a commercial vehicle who was allegedly fleeing arrest.

The LASTMA officials were on enforcement duty along with some policemen from the Lagos State Police Command.

The officials of LASTMA and the policemen were accused of the death of the motorist who was fleeing from the law enforcement agencies.

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Daily Trust learnt that trouble started after the arrest of the driver of a Toyota Corolla car.

The driver of the car was said to be driving on a BRT Road as at the time he was accosted.

A witness, Tolupe, alleged that the driver pleaded that he didn’t know that he had veered into BRT lane as there was no traffic signs to warn motorists of the BRR lane.

Tolupe said: “The government agencies insisted that the about-to-wed must grease their palms with N100, 000, but the driver started begging that he had only N40,000 to part with. The government agencies threatened to tow the vehicle to their office and the vehicle would be confiscated by the government.

“It was at that stage that the driver and his younger brother said that they would pay the sum of N70,000 and the officials insisted that he must pay the N100,000 or he would regret it. One of the officials told the driver that he should go to a nearby POS to withdraw the money and give it to them and he would be given back his vehicle.

“It was while the negotiation was going on that another vehicle which the driver was running away from LASTMA for also driving on BRT lane hit the Toyota Corolla car and his younger brother and drove away. The Corolla car driver died on the spot while his brother, who was badly injured, was rushed to the hospital.

“The action of passersby and angry marketers who claimed the LASTMA officials and their police escorts always use the BRT lane at that particular Bus Stop to milk unsuspecting motorist who always make mistakes of entering the BRT lane got angry and said that enough is enough and chased the government officials,who escaped by the whiskers”.

Our correspondent who visited the scene learnt that scores of angry protesters barricaded the BRT lane with the Corolla car and other items.

A trader along the road said: “Look at the road, are there any signs to show that it is a BRT lane? If you are not conversant with the road, while descending from Abule Egba bridge en route Iyana- Ipaja there is no way that the innocent driver will not enter the BRT lane.

“The Police and LATSMA have been using the means to rob unsuspecting motorists of their hard earned money.

“Today, they have finally killed an about- to-wed. If the unscrupulous and greedy government agencies had collected the money the deceased offered, the reckless driver wouldn’t have rammed on him and his younger brother.

“We are calling on the State Government to withdraw the police and LATSMA from the place as they are working for the government but for their pockets.

“They are making millions everyday. They should also do road signs to warn unsuspecting motorists, especially those coming from Ogun State about BRT. The normal road and the BRT are conjoined and it is difficult to differentiate the roads and the government agencies cashed in on the ignorance of motorists to rob them of their money.”

As at press time, the protesters were still at the scene guarding the Corolla car and chanting war songs.

However, five police patrol vehicles were on ground trying to recover the vehicle they used in blocking the BRT lane, but the protesters were not ready to give up as they were resisting the armed policemen.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “I am aware that a driver who broke the law by passing through BRT lane, hit a man and the man died. I have not been properly briefed”.