Conductor arrested for allegedly stabbing LASTMA officer in Lagos

A commercial bus conductor faces charges after allegedly stabbing a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer during a traffic enforcement operation. The incident occurred Monday at Ile-Epo Market along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway when officers stopped a Volkswagen bus for causing obstruction.

According to LASTMA, the bus driver resisted arrest, and the conductor, identified as Lekan Olasunkanmi, allegedly attacked an officer with a screwdriver. The injured officer was taken to a hospital for treatment and is reportedly recovering well. The suspect was handed over to the Abattoir Police Division for further investigation and potential prosecution.

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Anyone found attacking LASTMA personnel in the course of their lawful duties will face the full weight of the law.

During initial police questioning, the conductor reportedly admitted to using the screwdriver and stated the stabbing was accidental during the altercation. LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki condemned the attack, calling it unacceptable and highlighting a rise in hostility toward traffic personnel. He warned that the Lagos State Government would not tolerate assaults on LASTMA officers and that perpetrators would face the full extent of the law.

Bakare-Oki emphasized that LASTMA officers work to ensure smooth traffic flow and compliance with regulations. He stressed that violence against them undermines public order and the rule of law. The agency urged motorists and transport operators to respect traffic officials and adhere to the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, to foster a safer transportation system.

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Our officers are deployed across the state to facilitate the seamless movement of people, goods and services, while ensuring compliance with traffic regulations. Any act of violence against them is an affront to public order and the rule of law and will not go unpunished.