Lagos govt to prosecute man for attacking LASTMA officer

Etim Ekpimah

Lagos State Government is to prosecute one Ben Emmanuel for assaulting an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Ismaila Lukman at the Jakande Junction at Lekki around 2.20pm on Sunday.

General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye, said Emmanuel will face the law for attacking Lukman, who was on duty and causing him injury on the head.

Oduyoye said LASTMA official was attacked for advising Emmanuel to make use of the footbridge after he was approached to stop traffic for pedestrians at the traffic lights that had been damaged by hoodlums during the violent #EndSARS protests in Lagos.

According to him, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo has directed that Emmanuel be charged for assault and made to face the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

Oduyoye added that LASTMA will remain focused on carrying out its statutory activities despite intimidation and assault on its personnel, assuring that anyone caught harassing its officers will pay dearly for such offences as stipulated by the Law.

Giving details of the encounter, Lukman, stated that while controlling traffic at Jakande Junction, Emmanuel approached him to stop traffic for pedestrians despite being at proximity to an overhead bridge.

He said: “He then proceeded to step into the carriageway in front of moving traffic causing disruption to traffic flow. I asked him to leave the road and stop disturbing my work. Thereafter, two other men joined him and injured me on the head.”

An eyewitness said that the pedestrian threatened to chase the LASTMA official off the road, just like Policemen were treated during the #End SARS attacks in Lagos.