How our officer was knocked down, killed by ‘hit and run’ driver in Ajah ― LASTMA

The Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) has explained how one of its officers, Mr Jamiu Issa, was killed by a ‘hit-and-run’ driver in the Ajah area of Lagos metropolis, on Tuesday.

The agency’s General Manager, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, in a statement, made available to Tribune Online, on Thursday, by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Filade Olumide, explained that the late Issa, was fatally knocked down by the driver of a green Toyota Sienna vehicle, with Reg. number, FST 901 AR, while trying to apprehend him (the driver) for a traffic offence, on the Lekki-Ajah corridor.

The late LASTMA officer, who was confirmed dead, in the early hours of Tuesday, the 19th of April, 2022, was said to have approached and accosted the Sienna vehicle driver for driving against the flow of traffic (One-way).

The errant driver was said to be facing oncoming vehicles from Chevron towards the Conservation Toll Plaza.

Issa, who was the LASTMA patrol team leader in Ajah, accosted the driver, who had pretended to be alighting from the vehicle.

“The traffic offender later changed his mind, and tried to escape by reversing the vehicle, thereby knocking down Issa with the opened door, while the front tyre also ran over the officer,” Oreagba stated.

According to the LASTMA boss, while Issa’s colleagues at the scene of the event, quickly put a call through to the zonal head, some good Samaritans gave the fleeing driver a hot chase, before apprehending him at the Chevron Waterfront Area, and handing him over to the police.

Commiserating with the deceased’s family, Oreagba expressed displeasure that some unscrupulous individuals still continue to kill, maim and inflict pains on personnel of the agency, despite several appeals and warnings.

He however assured of the agency’s commitment to ensuring that such unscrupulous elements, who had continued to shun all entreaties, would be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that the unfortunate incident would not discourage the officers of the agency from carrying out their duties and responsibilities, as enshrined in the law setting up the agency.