Lagos driver stabs LASTMA official, slits his throat

A commercial driver, Ibrahim Yusuf, has been arrested by the police after he allegedly stabbed and slit the throat of Awotola Victor, an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), over enforcement of traffic rules.

The incident reportedly occurred over the weekend at about 3.30 pm at the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos state.

It was gathered that on that fateful weekend, Awotola was on his duty post alongside his colleagues when the mini-bus (Korope) with number plate, KJA 953 YE was impounded over willful obstruction.

Yusuf was said to have disappeared from the scene only to reappear with a big knife with which he stabbed the official on the head and neck whilst he escaped afterwards with the aid of the street urchins around the area but the officials applied professional effort and prevented him from moving the vehicle away.

According to Vanguard, eye witnesses said Awotola was immediately rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital by his colleagues.

Yusuf was later apprehended by the chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and handed over to policemen attached to the Ojodu Police Station where he is currently been interrogated.

LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba said it was perpetrated over the weekend at about 3.30 pm when Awotola alongside a patrol team apprehend Yusuf who was obstructing the flow of traffic on the road.

Oreagba disclosed this in a statement signed by LASTMA’s spokesperson, Olumide Filade on Wednesday.

He said: “According to reports received on the incident, Yusuf, the minibus driver, and offender, was noted to be causing willful obstruction at River Valley Estate and after refusing all entreaties to move away from the place, the vehicle was to be apprehended.

“At this juncture, the driver disappeared only to reappear unexpectedly with a big knife with which he cut Awotola’s head and neck, whilst he escaped afterwards with the aid of the street urchins around the area but his vehicle was apprehended and its custody taken by the agency”.

While urging Lagos road users to be law-abiding, Oreagba stated: “any road user that violates the State Traffic Law as stated in the amended Lagos Transport Reform Laws of 2018 and in line with the state government first pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda will have themselves to blame for committing assault on any government official.”