Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has noted that a publication titled “LASTMA Thugs’ brutalise driver, impounds bus, agency ignores victim’s petition” in the Punch newspaper, page four of Tuesday, January 4, 2022, is categorically untrue.
The agency noted that the newspaper report is an untrue narration of the event that transpired, adding that, there was no such thing as ignoring or not acting on petitions.
According to the publication, a commercial bus driver, Olasunkanmi Adejare accused the agency of using thugs to impound his vehicle in Oshodi.
Investigations revealed that, it was a combination of LASTMA and Police officers attached to LASTMA that apprehended the vehicle for dropping and picking passengers on the Oshodi Bridge Expressway towards Anthony Bridge since April 12, 2021 but lied that he was waiting for his friend who went to urinate.
General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba stated that the case has been on since April 2021 while Adejare has refused to admit committing any traffic offence even after writing so many petitions which were investigated, he was advised to submit himself to the mobile court for adjudication. He absconded since then only for him to appear on the pages of a newspaper.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that Adejare is a serial offender with a penchant for writing petitions when apprehended, in order to evade justice based on sentiments.
He made this known in one of his petition of an earlier traffic law violations committed and was released on humanitarian and compassionate ground.
Adejare said in the publication that he “realised that because he wrote petitions against them to the ministry, that was why they did not want to release the vehicle”. The agency cannot prejudice his case as it is already in court.
The complainant, Adejare also accused the agency to haven stolen the tyres he went to purchase at Ladipo spare parts market but when asked to present evidences of the purchase (receipt) and other documentary evidence, he could not provide any. The attached picture does not show the presence of tyres but that of passengers when he was apprehended.
It should be noted that the accusation of assault by LASTMA officers ab-initio was not part of Adejare’s initial claim and members of the public are advised to disregard this blatant untruth being peddled.
The Head of Monitoring and Surveillance and the Director of Legal of LASTMA mentioned in the story as supporting the officers that apprehended Adejare are known to be impartial cerebrals.
“It is hereby implied that from the above denial, it is the complainant that has not cooperated in resolving his case, while also trying to evade justice through frivolous and multiple accusation, while he also has refused to abide by the rule of law,” Oreagba said.
Oreagba, the LASTMA General Manager in conclusion said that the complainant should submit himself to the mobile court for resolution of his case instead of trying to blackmail the agency on the pages of newspapers. He also advised that the media should conduct exhaustive investigation about stories before rushing to the press and give a listening ear to the other party in order to balance stories.
Filade Olumide
Asst. Director, Public Affairs LASTMA
