LASTMA Officer Killed By One-Way Driving Man In Lagos
An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Jamiu Issa, has been confirmed to have died after a motorist driving against traffic run over him around the Chevron end of the Lekki-Epe Expressway in the state.
The driver of the Sienna vehicle with number plate FST 901 AR was also said to have knocked down another person while driving against traffic on the expressway.
As gathered, the deceased LASTMA officer, after sighting a motorist driving against the flow of traffic, approached him to caution but rather than wait, he was said to have knocked him down and further run over the traffic management officer while trying to escape from the scene.
Owing to the magnitude of the injuries sustained by the traffic officer, he was immediately rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital where he was said to have been pronounced dead by medical experts at the facility.
Following the developments, the remaining of the former LASTMA’s body was deposited at the morgue of the same hospital pending the outcome of an investigation.
Issa’s death was confirmed by the General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, on Wednesday, while commiserating with the family of the deceased officer over the incident.
Oreagba disclosed that the driver was currently been interrogated by policemen attached to the Ajiwe Police Station to ascertain what transpired at the scene.
“Issa, the LASTMA patrol team leader in Ajah, accosted the driver by standing inside the driver opened door was knocked down and run over by the traffic law offender, who had pretended to be alighting from the vehicle but changed his action and tried to escape by reversing the vehicle, knocking down Issa with the opened door while the front tire also ran over the officer, this action fatally injured Issa in the process.
“The deceased officer’s colleague at the scene of the event quickly put a call through to the zonal head while some good eyewitnesses pursued the escaping Sienna driver to the Chevron Waterfront area where he was eventually apprehended and taken first to Ilasan Police Station, and eventually to Ajiwe Police Station, under which jurisdiction the event happened for proper investigation.
Oreagba, through a statement signed by LASTMA spokesperson, Olumide Filade, added that despite several appeals and warnings to the public to desist from assaulting and injuring government officials, some unscrupulous elements in the society who have refused all entreaties would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
The Manager noted that occurrence would not discourage the officers of the agency from continuing to carry out their duties and responsibilities as enshrined in the law that set up the agency.
He, meanwhile, appealed to the general public to abide by the laws governing the State in order not to run foul of the law and its attendant consequences.