An official of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Samson Akinmade has died after being knocked down by a motorist at Mile 12, Ketu area of Lagos.
In a statement, LASTMA general manager Olajide Oduyoye said the driver of a blue-black Opel Space Bus with number plate AAA 74 GG knocked down Mr Akinmade on Tuesday at Demurin Street junction inwards Mile 12 while controlling traffic, leaving him with head and body injuries.
Mr Oduyoye said the officer was immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where he eventually died in the early hours of Wednesday.
“This event is particularly sad because this was a young, intelligent and dedicated officer employed in the year 2019, was very committed to his job but has been cut down in his prime by a careless and lawless driver, thereby depriving his family, the government agency, Lagos and Nigeria of a future leader in the making,” he said in the statement.
Explaining further, he said the event occurred while the deceased was directing yellow buses away from the Demurin Street junction choke point and approached the motorist to park away from the road to pick passengers, “but the driver assumed that he would be apprehended for obstructing traffic and sped off, knocking down the officer against the concrete culvert on the service lane and dragging him for about seven metres.”
Oduyoye added that the driver was arrested and handed over to the police at Alapere.
