Motorist stabs LASTMA officer during enforcement

A commercial bus conductor allegedly stabbed an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority with a screwdriver during a traffic enforcement operation at Ile-Epo, inward Abule-Egba, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

The spokesperson for LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Taofiq stated that the suspect, identified as Lekan Olasunkanmi, had been arrested and handed over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.

He noted that the incident occurred while a LASTMA patrol team was carrying out a routine operation to remove traffic obstruction caused by a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LSR 989 XG at the busy Ile-Epo Market corridor.

Taofiq added that the driver of the vehicle resisted the enforcement operation before the conductor allegedly armed himself with a screwdriver and attacked one of the traffic officers.

“The driver of the commercial vehicle vehemently resisted lawful enforcement procedures. In a shocking escalation of events, the vehicle’s conductor, later identified as Mr Lekan Olasunkanmi, armed himself with a screwdriver and violently attacked a LASTMA officer, inflicting a stab wound during the altercation,” the statement read.

He noted that the injured officer was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where he received emergency treatment and was responding positively.

Taofiq added that the incident was reported at the Abattoir Police Division, while the suspect was taken into police custody.

He stated, “Consequent upon the attack, the matter was promptly reported at the Abattoir Police Division, while the suspect was apprehended and taken into police custody for further investigation and possible prosecution.

“During the security preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted to bringing out the screwdriver and confessed that he mistakenly stabbed the LASTMA officer during the confrontation.”

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condemned what he described as the growing trend of attacks on traffic management personnel while performing their lawful duties.

He warned that the Lagos State Government would not tolerate assaults, intimidation or harassment of traffic officers.

“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,” Bakare-Oki was quoted as saying.

He also urged motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users to comply with the provisions of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, stressing that cooperation with traffic management officials was essential to achieving a safer, more efficient and orderly transport system.

The LASTMA boss further appealed to transport unions and commercial vehicle operators to sensitise their members on the need to respect law enforcement and traffic management officials.

This is not the first time traffic officers have been attacked during enforcement operations.

PUNCH Metro reported in November 2024 that a commercial driver fled after causing bodily injuries to a LASTMA officer in the Mile 2 area of the state.

Taofiq had stated that LASTMA operatives had accosted the driver for violating traffic regulations, but he resisted arrest.

He had noted that in an attempt to evade arrest, the driver sprayed his vehicle and some of the officers who had taken over the vehicle with petrol, set the bus on fire and fled the scene.(Punch)