Crimes

Driver crushes LASTMA official to death in Lagos

A driver has crushed an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Jamiu Issa, to death in the Lekki-Ajah area of the state.

It was gathered that the yet-to-be-identified driver was driving against traffic when he rammed into the LASTMA official, who wanted to arrest him for the traffic offence.

Some Lagosians were said to have pursued the driver after hitting the LASTMA official before he was eventually apprehended and taken to the police station.

The driver was also said to have knocked down another person while trying to escape from the scene before he was apprehended.

The incident was confirmed via a statement issued by the LASTMA spokesperson, Olumide Filade, on Wednesday.

Filade stated that Issa was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.

He stated: “The driver of a green Toyota Sienna vehicle, with number plate, FST 901 AR, knocked down and run over a LASTMA official, Jamiu Issa, who was later confirmed dead, on April 19, 2022.

“The late Issa was said to have approached and accosted the Sienna vehicle driver who was driving against the direction of flow of traffic, facing oncoming vehicles from Chevron towards the Conservation Toll Plaza.

“It was reported that Issa was knocked down and run over by the traffic law offender. Issa’s colleague at the scene of the event quickly put a call through to the zonal head while some good Samaritans/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.

“Also, according to other eyewitnesses’ accounts, the Sienna driver also knocked down another person while trying to escape from the scene before the driver was apprehended.”

Filade added that the fatally injured Issa was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital where he was confirmed dead, noting that the remains of the official have been deposited at the morgue of the hospital.

He stated that the LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba, commiserated with the family of the deceased officer, adding that those who refused all entreaties to desist from assaulting and injuring government officials, would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The Star