18 LASTMA officers died, 24 incapacitated in one year – Ambode

The Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has revealed that a total of 18 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have died on active duty, while 24 others have been permanently  incapacitated this year alone. Ambode disclosed this at a commiseration visit he paid to the LASTMA office in Oshodi,  Lagos, yesterday. […]

The Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has revealed that a total of 18 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have died on active duty, while 24 others have been permanently  incapacitated this year alone.

Ambode disclosed this at a commiseration visit he paid to the LASTMA office in Oshodi,  Lagos, yesterday.

Only last week, an officer of the traffic agency on active duty, Rotimi Adeyemo, 41, was shot dead by a police officer working with the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos State. The police officer was consequently mobbed to death by angry people in the area.

According to the governor, many of the traffic officers who died on active duty were killed by reckless road users, a development he vowed the state would no longer tolerate.

“We have lost 18 LASTMA officers in the line of duty, just because they were performing their civic duty, while 24 LASTMA officers were permanently incapacitated and are in various hospitals this year alone. These men and women we put on the line of duty are harmless and have nothing to protect themselves, except the traffic laws they tend to protect and regulate,” Ambode said.

The governor, who described the moment as “sober”, assured officers of law enforcement agencies in the state of government’s support and would do everything to protect their lives and create a conducive atmosphere for them to work.

He also appealed to Lagos road users to always obey traffic laws, saying the state cannot be turned to lawlessness.

“From this moment, all our security agencies and all officers concerned have been directed to discipline any traffic offender that is arrested. Government will deal squarely with any traffic offender henceforth.

“We cannot allow people to continue to commit offences. We do not want people to take advantage of the yuletide or because election is fast approaching to be lawless. We have majority of our people to protect and ensure they use the road safely. We will not allow traffic offenders to go scot-free anymore.

“We have also directed the Attorney-General to increase the number of mobile courts to 20 immediately. Traffic offenders will be tried instantly on the spot,” Ambode said.