LASTMA Impounds Obasanjo’s Vehicle

360update

News,Nigeria


By Gboyega Akinsanmi, Chiemelie Ezeobi and Taye Oye

                                                                 Olusegun Obasanjo

A ‘cold war’ appears to brewing between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, following the confiscation of a utility vehicle belonging to Obasanjo Farms.

This is coming as the protest against the Lagos State Road Traffic Law by commercial motorcyclists (popularly called Okada) Tuesday spread to other parts of the metropolis, leaving at least one bus belonging to LAGBUS Asset Management Limited damaged.

Also, pandemonium erupted Tuesday at the Alakuko area of the state, following the alleged killing of a commercial motorcyclist, and injuring another by one of the policemen allegedly attached to Alakuko Police Station, Area G, Ogba Command.

However, it was gathered that the Obasanjo Farms vehicle was impounded by officials of the state Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) over the weekend, for contravening the traffic law.

Though Obasanjo was alleged to have made efforts to get the vehicle released, which proved abortive, the action was, however, said to have led to the forceful seizure of 10 LAG buses, which were alleged to have been taken into the premises of Obasanjo Farms between last week Friday and Sunday.

However, effort to get the Chief Executive of LASTMA, Mr. Young Arabamen, to comment on the development proved abortive as his secretary said he was in a meeting.

Equally, the protest was said to have started very early Tuesday at Kola Bus Stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, following alleged arrests and extortion of commercial motorcyclists by law enforcement agencies.

Despite the protest, security operatives attached to the state Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit and Rapid Response (RRS) were said to have stepped up the enforcement of the traffic law, an outcome of which led to impounding of about 3,000 commercial motorcycles in different parts of the state.

It was also gathered that one of the commercial motorcyclists was allegedly killed Tuesday at Pen Cinema, Agege when he was trying to escape from law enforcement officers deployed in the area.

But, an eyewitness alleged that the commercial motorcyclist was killed while he was trying, “to escape and ensure that his motorcycle was not impounded the moment he sighted the law enforcement officers heading in his direction.”

The eyewitness added that as the rider was trying “to escape arrest, he quickly rode on his commercial motorcycle towards Ogba-Ijaiye Housing Estate. But the security operatives did not turn back. The officers chased, and in the process, one of the police officers hit the rider with his baton. He collapsed immediately.”

However, the LAGBUS Asset Management Limited, in a bid to reduce the number of vehicles damaged as a result of the protest yesterday suspended operations of its activities in all the areas affected by the anti-traffic law protest.

It was gathered that LAGBUS Managing Director, Mr. Babatunde Disu, said the firm suspended operations in the affected areas in order to check further damage on their buses, though the decision was not a permanent directive.

Meanwhile, the deceased commercial motorcyclist simply identified as Alagede, was allegedly shot dead by a yet-to-be identified police officer allegedly attached to Alakuko Police Station, Area G, Ogba Command.

Also, another motorcyclist was said to have fallen into the gutter, after been chased by some policemen in a patrol van at the Ogba/Pen Cinema area, after trying to evade arrest.

Immediately the news filtered into town, several aggrieved commercial motorcyclists were said to have taken to the street, vandalising state-owned buses and other public property.