Lagos Driver Sets LASTMA Officer Ablaze, Flees Scene

A commercial driver has gone into hiding after seriously injuring an officer from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Tuesday in the Mile 2 area of Lagos.

LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq reported that officers had stopped the driver for a traffic violation, but he resisted arrest. In an attempt to escape, the driver doused his vehicle and some officers with gasoline, ignited the bus, and fled.

According to Taofiq, video footage captured the disturbing moment when the driver of a Volkswagen T4 bus, with license plate LSD 355 CK, set the vehicle on fire as LASTMA officers tried to detain him. The vehicle was initially stopped for violating traffic rules in the Cele-Mile 2 area.

Taofiq detailed that during the confrontation, the driver and his assistant aggressively poured fuel on LASTMA personnel, attacking the officers physically. One officer sustained severe burns and was taken to a hospital for urgent care.

The spokesperson emphasized that the driver and his assistant would face consequences for their actions. LASTMA urged all drivers to respect traffic laws and cooperate with officials, vowing to uphold road safety and order under the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.

This incident follows another recent attack on enforcement officers when soldiers assaulted a policeman after a traffic stop, leading to the officer’s death.

LASTMA remains committed to protecting the safety of Lagos roads and enforcing traffic regulations.