Lagos prosecutes 13 over assault on LASTMA officials

The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force has arraigned 13 workers of 7Up Bottling Company for allegedly assaulting officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

Chairman of the Task Force, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed in a press statement signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Head, Public Affairs Unit, that the enforcement team of the agency arrested the 13 workers after they assaulted LASTMA Officers and injured three of them.

CSP Egbeyemi disclosed further that investigations revealed that the officers were attacked while trying to tow a truck with registration number MUS 75 XX belonging to the company, which was causing serious traffic gridlock.

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He noted that it was an eye-sore seeing drivers of 7Up trucks parking illegally on one side of the road thereby causing serious traffic obstructions to other motorists along toll gate area of the state.

“The prosecution of these 13 arrested workers became imperative to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to attack law enforcement officers in the course of enforcement of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order on traffic offenders across the State.

“It was disheartening that officers employed to safeguard members of the public were always being attacked by same people whose interest were being protected,” he said.

One of the injured LASTMA officers, who was transferred to LASUTH for treatment, Mr Kazim Abayomi, said drivers and workers of 7Up company always engaged them physically with different weapons whenever, they tried to trying to enforce traffic laws.

Two other injured LASTMA workers (Towing truck operators) were Peter Anozie and Demeji Tonade .

Meanwhile, Magistrate Olajuwon Amos of the Lagos State Mobile Court who presided over the case adjourned the commencement of trial to Aug. 8, 2019 after they all pleaded not guilty.

They were all charged for assault and conduct likely to cause breach of peace under Part 3, Item 26 of the Lagos State Traffic Sector Law.