Twelve officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA have been reportedly tortured by soldiers.
Vanguard reported that the incident took place last weekend.
It was gathered that the LASTMA officials along Costain-Apapa area of were tortured for daring to impound a senior officer’s vehicle because he drove against traffic — “One way.”
The senior military personnel was stopped and his official vehicle impounded over traffic contravention around Costain.
It was learned that the military officer, who felt slighted by the manner the LASTMA officers accosted him, left the scene and, few minutes after, some soldiers appeared and went after every LASTMA officer on sight.
The soldiers reportedly pounced on the officials, took them to their barracks, beat them before letting them go.
It was gathered that the battered LASTMA officials were subsequently taken to hospital for the injury sustained during the ordeal.
Calm was later restored between both parties after apologies were tendered.
The State Coordinator, Special Traffic Management Committee on Apapa gridlock, Hassan Adekoya, who confirmed the incident, said the issue had been amicably resolved following intervention by relevant authorities.
“Everything is fine now and our men are undergoing treatment at a hospital. Both parties have apologised to each other and there is no cause for alarm. The situation is under control,” he said.
Adekoya recounted; “Yes, our men were assaulted and beaten. Some military men arrested 12 LASTMA officers at the weekend while on duty and beat them.
“Last Friday, around 5p.m., they started raiding our officers on duty at Costain Roundabout to Sifax down to Total Bridge, Apapa. They picked up the most senior officer, called Bravo at Areas “B” Oriyomi.
“The invading soldiers claimed that one of their bosses was arrested in the morning for taking one way.
“So they went after any LASTMA officer in sight, all the way from Costain to Apapa. At the end of the rampage, 12 officers were picked at the different locations.
“The officers include Balogun Sadiq, Ayoade Abideen, Adebayo Tunde, Kazeem Abensin, Rafiu Rasaki, Oloyede and Logunleko Oriyomi.”
State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, while reacting to incessant assaults of LASTMA personnel, objected to the rate at which military personnel, police officers and others contravene the state traffic laws with impunity.
He noted that “the law is no respecter of anybody and must be obeyed at all time.”
Oladeinde, in a statement, added that the state government wondered why officers, who should be custodian of the traffic laws, work against it, stating that the government had resolved not to allow the menace continue unchecked.
While urging all security agencies to show exemplary conduct by leading the way in obeying the traffic laws of the state, Oladeinde warned that “any form of physical assault of the state traffic law enforcement officers by the erring security personnel will no longer be tolerated.”
