Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), have been plunged into mourning, following the death of their colleague, Jamiu O. Issa.
Issa was said to have been knocked down and killed by the driver of a green Toyota Sienna vehicle marked FST 901 AR. He was confirmed dead on 19th April, 2022.
According to the Assistant Director, Public Affairs LASTMA, Filade Olumide, the late Issa was said to have approached and accosted the Sienna vehicle driver who was driving against the direction of flow of traffic (One-way) facing oncoming vehicles from Chevron towards the Conservation Toll Plaza.
“It was reported that Issa, the LASTMA patrol team leader in Ajah, who accosted the driver by standing by the side of the vehicle, opened the door and was knocked down and run over by the traffic law offender, who had pretended to be alighting from the vehicle but changed his action and tried to escape by reversing the vehicle. He knocked down Issa with the door, while his front tyre ran over the officer. This action fatally injured Issa in the process,” said Olumide.
Issa’s colleague at the scene of the event quickly put a call through to the zonal head while some Good Samaritans and eyewitnesses pursued the fleeing Sienna driver to the Chevron Waterfront area where he was eventually apprehended and taken first to Ilasan Police Station, and eventually to Ajiwe Police Station, under which jurisdiction the event happened for proper investigation.
Also, according to other eyewitnesses’ accounts, the Sienna driver also knocked down another person while trying to escape from the scene before the driver was apprehended.
While the above scenario was going on, the fatally injured Issa was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital where it was confirmed that he was brought in dead (BID). His remains have been deposited at the morgue of the same hospital.
The LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba, who is grieving, commiserates with the family of the deceased officer. He has also said that in spite of several appeals and warnings to the public to desist from assaulting and injuring government officials, some unscrupulous elements in the society who have refused all entreaties would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Oreagba also noted that this occurrence would not discourage the officers of the agency from continuing to carry out their duties and responsibilities as enshrined in the law that set up the agency.
He, therefore, appealed to members of the public to abide by the laws governing the Lagos State in order not to run afoul of it.
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