Driver sets himself, traffic officer, bus ablaze to evade arrest
According to reports, a commercial bus driver who has not yet been named set fire to his vehicle, himself, and a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official.
According to reports, the motorist was trying to avoid being arrested for a traffic infraction.
The event occurred on Tuesday morning, according to Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, who verified it.
In a horrifying video, the driver of a Volkswagen T4 commercial bus with the registration plate LSD 355 CK is seen blazing both his vehicle and LASTMA officials in a blatant attempt to avoid arrest, Bakare-Oki said. The video was reported to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, or LASTMA.
“The driver violently resisted arrest by LASTMA officials on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, in this shocking incident. “The car was stopped for breaking traffic laws in the Mile-2 section of Cele inbound.
The driver and his conductor became enraged during the arrest process, splattering gasoline on LASTMA staff and launching physical assaults and violent altercations against the authorities.
After suffering severe burns, the injured LASTMA officer was taken right away to a local hospital for rapid medical attention.
In accordance with the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, “LASTMA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to maintaining order and guaranteeing the safety of Lagos roads.”
However, he emphasized that all drivers, whether commercial or otherwise, should adhere to all traffic laws and respect the authority of LASTMA staff.
Bakare-Oki pledged that “LASTMA will not tolerate any kind of violence or intimidation and will take firm and decisive action against those responsible.”
Conflicts between commercial bus drivers and Lagos state traffic officials and LASTMA are not new.
In 2022, a commercial vehicle driver set himself on fire in Lagos’ Ajao Estate neighborhood in protest over LASTMA officials seizing his bus.
According to reports, two LASTMA officers pulled him from the car and turned on the ignition so they could proceed to their base at Oshodi.
Witnesses claim that the driver struck a stick of matches and poured fuel on his body just before they were ready to move.
Other commercial bus conductors and drivers, including bystanders, began throwing stones at the LASTMA officials while the fire was being put out. This led to a brawl between the authorities and thugs.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at NeptunePrime.
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