Commercial bus conductor stabs LASTMA officer during traffic enforcement in Lagos

A commercial bus conductor has reportedly stabbed a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officer with a screwdriver during a routine traffic enforcement operation at Ile-Epo Market, inward Abule-Egba, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, while attempting to resist the arrest of his vehicle for traffic obstruction.

The suspect, identified as Lekan Olasunkanmi, was arrested and handed over to the police following the attack, while the injured officer was rushed to a nearby hospital where he received emergency treatment and is responding positively.

A statement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, said the incident occurred when a LASTMA patrol team, carrying out its responsibility of ensuring free flow of traffic and maintaining order on Lagos roads, impounded a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LSR 989 XG for causing serious traffic obstruction at the busy Ile-Epo Market axis.

According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the driver of the commercial bus resisted the enforcement operation, after which the conductor allegedly armed himself with a screwdriver and attacked one of the traffic officers, inflicting a stab wound during the confrontation.

Following the incident, the matter was reported to the Abattoir Police Division, where the suspect was taken into custody for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The agency disclosed that during preliminary police interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted to bringing out the screwdriver and confessed that he mistakenly stabbed the LASTMA officer during the altercation.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed concern over what he described as the growing hostility and attacks against traffic management officers while carrying out their lawful duties.

He said the Lagos State Government would not tolerate any form of assault, intimidation, harassment or attack on officers responsible for maintaining order on public roads.

“Anyone found attacking LASTMA personnel in the course of their lawful duties will face the full weight of the law. Our officers are deployed across the State to facilitate seamless movement of people, goods and services, as well as to ensure strict compliance with extant traffic regulations. Any act of violence against them constitutes an affront to public order and the rule of law and will not go unpunished,” he said.  

Bakare-Oki also urged motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users to obey traffic regulations as contained in the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

He stressed that cooperation with traffic management authorities remains essential to achieving a safer, more efficient and orderly transportation system across the state.

The LASTMA boss further appealed to transport unions, commercial vehicle operators and road users to continue educating their members on the need to respect traffic management and other law enforcement officials while carrying out their duties.