Thugs working with LASTMA officers ‘break’ bus driver’s head in Lagos

Jamiu Alao, a commercial bus driver, has accused officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) of instigating thugs to assault him and one Samson, a bus conductor.

Alao told FIJ that he was driving through Brewery to Orile in Lagos at about 4pm on December 21, 2022, when his vehicle suddenly stopped on the road.

He said he had refunded passengers and was trying to get his vehicle off the road when LASTMA officials, in company of three men armed with broken bottles, suddenly cornered him and ordered that he forfeit his keys and let them tow his vehicle.

“One of the area boys told me I would regret my action if I did not allow the officials to tow the bus,” Alao told FIJ. “Not quite long, he hit the bottle on my head and his colleague broke another bottle, stabbed me severally until blood was gushing out.”

Prior to the attack, the LASTMA officials gained entry to his vehicle and ordered a tow van to drag it to their office, Alao said. He attempted to obstruct them, as a mechanic was working on the vehicle at the time.

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Recounting his ordeal, he said, “While I was trying to fathom out what could be the problem, the 33 passengers were impatient and they asked me to refund part of the fàres and I gave them N100 each.

“Few minutes later, some area boys approached and asked if they might be of help and I asked them to help me push the bus off the road while I got an auto technician to fix the problem.

“As the auto technician was inspecting the problem, men of LASTMA arrived with a tow vehicle and three area boys.

“One of the area boys stood aloof while two were armed with bottles as they positioned themselves. Before I could say Jack, one of the officers jumped into the bus and instructed the driver of the tow vehicle to step into action, but I disallowed them from towing the bus.

“An area boy told me I would regret my action if I did not allow the officials to tow the bus. Not quite long, he hit the bottle on my head and his colleague broke another bottle and stabbed me several times until blood was gushing out. My conductor who could have been of assistance was scared away from the scene.

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“The conductor of another bus, Samson, sighted me from afar and rushed to the scene to find out what was happening but they stabbed him and he is currently under medical treatment.

“On noticing the gravity of what they had done, the officials ran away from the scene, but sympathisers rallied round and we reported the incident at the Iponri police station, where the policemen advised me to go and treat myself first.

“I can neither go to work nor foot my medical bills due to paucity of funds. I am yet to regain my health.

“Samson is yet to regain his health too and we are left to our fate.”

Akintade Abiodun, president of Joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN), a body Alao belongs to, told FIJ the association had written to LASTMA but nothing had been done.

FIJ called Olumide Filade, LASTMA spokesman, on Wednesday, but he did not take our calls. He had also not responded to a text message sent to him at press time.