The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says it will ensure that justice is done to all parties concerned following an alleged assault on a commercial bus conductor by one of the LASTMA officers at Maryland on Saturday.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, in a statement issued by the authority’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Olumide Filade, gave the assurance on Sunday while reacting to the trending video of the alleged assault.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the video allegedly showed that a LASTMA official allegedly assaulted a commercial bus conductor after he had apprehended.
The statement said, “The attention of the management of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has been drawn to a video trending online of a LASTMA officer having an altercation with a commercial bus conductor at Maryland, Lagos on Saturday, 7th March 2020.
“The rules of engagement for the agency officials in relating to the members of the public does not include being physical with traffic offender as stated in the Law that guides the agency’s operations.
” The circumstances surrounding the video had been investigated thoroughly.
” It was discovered that the bus conductor had contravened the law by leaving the bus door open while the bus was on motion.
“Also, the conductor was also caught hanging after the agency had played the camera recordings of the development.
“Justice will be done on the issue as the driver, the police escort and the conductor had been released owing to public sentiments,” Oduyoye said.
The LASTMA boss noted that both the driver and the conductor if the bus had committed the same offence several times in the past.
According to him, this is the ‘modus operandi’ of this particular bus driver and the conductor by pretending to faint at the point of being contravened in order to whip up public sympathy against LASTMA officers.
Oduyoye urged road users in Lagos to adhere strictly to the traffic law of the state in order to keep traffic flowing for economic growth and well being of all.
He said that 25 officers of the agency had gone through the disciplinary procedure and necessary sanction administered with some having their appointments terminated since he assumed office in October 2019.
Oduyoye said that concerted effort would be deployed to apprehend these offenders to face the full wrath of the law.
He implored commuters and the public to refrain from preventing LASTMA officials from carrying out their duties, saying that enforcement was principally meant for their safety and security.