BY ADELEKE ADESANYA
AN official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Ismaila Lukman, has been beaten black and blue by one Ben Emmanuel and two others, now at large.
The incident, which has attracted the state government’s attention, occurred at the Jakande Junction in Lekki.
The Point gathered that the three men descended on Lukman after he advised them to use the pedestrian bridge rather than disturbing the traffic flow on the expressway.
Instead of taking his advice, Ben and his friend allegedly pummeled the LASTMA official until he was bathed with blood.
Meanwhile, luck ran out on Ben, as he was arrested, while others escaped, when a military patrol team and policemen arrived at the scene.
He was subsequently detained at Ilasan Police Station.
A statement by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, over the development, said the offender would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
General Manager, LASTMA, Olajide Oduyoye, also said Emmanuel would face the law for assaulting Lukman, an officer of the agency while on duty and causing him injury on the head.
According to Oduyoye, the LASTMA official was attacked for advising Emmanuel to utilise the footbridge after he was approached to stop traffic for pedestrians at the traffic lights that had been damaged by hoodlums during the violent #EndSARS protests in Lagos.
The GM disclosed that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, had directed that Emmanuel be charged to court for assault and made to face the law to serve as deterrent to others.
Oduyoye reiterated that LASTMA would remain focused on carrying out its statutory activities despite intimidation and assault on its personnel, assuring that anyone caught harassing its officers would pay dearly for such offences as stipulated by the Law.
Giving details of the encounter, Lukman said while controlling traffic at Jakande Junction, Emmanuel approached him to stop traffic for pedestrians despite being at close proximity to an overhead bridge.
“He then proceeded to step into the carriageway in front of moving traffic causing disruption to traffic flow. I asked him to leave the road and stop disturbing my work. Thereafter, two other men joined him and injured me on the head,” the LASTMA official said.