In a shocking incident in the Lagos, a commercial bus driver allegedly doused a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer with petrol and set him on fire to avoid arrest in the busy Mile 2 area.
According to Punch, Adebayo Taofiq, the LASTMA spokesperson, reported that officers had stopped the driver for breaking traffic rules when he and his conductor began resisting arrest. According to Taofiq, in an attempt to evade the authorities, the driver sprayed petrol on his bus and the surrounding officers, ignited the fuel, and then fled the scene.
Footage of the incident, involving a Volkswagen T4 bus with license plate LSD 355 CK, shows the driver acting aggressively before setting his bus — and LASTMA personnel — ablaze. The injured LASTMA officer, suffering severe burns, was rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment.
LASTMA condemned the violent act, urging all drivers to respect traffic laws and cooperate with law enforcement. The agency emphasised it would seek justice, stating, “LASTMA will not tolerate any violence or intimidation against its officers.”
The Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 backs LASTMA’s mandate to maintain order on the roads, and the agency reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of Lagos roads and to taking decisive action against such extreme acts of defiance.
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