Connect with us
Advertisement

Gist

Policemen Beat Up LASTMA Officials, Vandalise Car Over Police Arrest

Published

on

Advertisement

Confusion broke out in the Idiroko end of Ikorodu Road, Lagos State, when two police officer attached to a bank in the area attacked and beat up a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officers.

The policemen reported unleashed terror on the LASTMA officers after they arrested a mobile policeman who contravened traffic law.

PUNCH Metro learnt that trouble started when the mopol, who was in a KIA vehicle with number plate, GW 113 AAA, allegedly drove through the reserved Bus Rapid Transport lane.

Advertisement

To ensure that the erring police officer face the consequent of his action, the LASTMA officers seized his car keys.

This didn’t go down well with the police officers attached to the bank closed to the venue of the incident, they allegedly attacked the LASTMA officers and vandalized their vehicle.

A clip of the incident, which went viral on the social media on Tuesday, showed the moment the armed policemen kicked and punched one of the LASTMA officers.

Advertisement

According to an eyewitness, the Mobile Police had caused traffic jam on the BRT lane while resisting arrest.

He said, “The incident happened around 9.30am. The motorist wore a police shirt which had mopol on it. He was coming from Maryland en route to Anthony and took the BRT lane. He was blocked by a LASTMA vehicle at Idi iroko.

“The man refused to drive out of the lane after a LASTMA officer entered his car. Before we knew it, two other policemen crossed over from a First Bank branch opposite the scene. They beat up the LASTMA officials and demanded the key of the man’s car.

Advertisement
Advertisement

“When they did not get the key, they attacked every LASTMA officer in sight until they got the key. They broke the glass of the LASTMA KIA that was used to block the car with the butt of their guns.

“After they succeeded, they opened the LASTMA car and pushed it to the expressway. The mopol then escaped, while they ran back to their duty post.”

Our correspondent learnt that two hoodlums, who allegedly joined in aiding the escape of the policeman, were arrested and arraigned before a mobile court.

The men were reportedly remanded in prison.

The Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Chike Oti, while speaking to newsmen stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi had ordered an investigation into the incident.

“There is no report of the incident in any of the station in the area. The information we got was that the matter was not reported because the men settled their differences amicably.

“However, the CP, who does not tolerate acts of indiscipline, has ordered an investigation into the incident, especially the video being circulated online. He has ordered that the policemen identified in the video be brought for questioning.” he said.

The Public Affairs Officer of LASTMA, Mahmud Hassan, expressed disappointment in the conduct of the policemen.

He said, “Our men were on their lawful duties on the Ikorodu Road, manning the BRT corridor, when the motorist was seen driving on the BRT lane.

“When accosted by our men, he said nobody could stop him from driving on the BRT lane. At that point, our men told him that he was not above the law. The motorist started making trouble with our men.

“When the policemen manning the bank opposite the scene of the incident saw him, they crossed the road and in a bid to free the man from the hands of the law, they descended on our men. They beat up our men black and blue, tore their uniforms and damaged our vehicle. They chased our men away and used force to take the vehicle from the BRT lane. The injured officers are receiving treatment as I speak.

“We are disappointed that men trained to enforce the law of the state are the ones circumventing the law and turning around to beat those they should be supporting. It is a low point for those involved. I don’t know how they would be proud of their action. They should look at themselves in the mirror and ask if they have lived up to the expectation of their profession.

“While we will continue to count on the support and cooperation of the police hierarchy, the action of those officers has done a great damage; it happened in the full glare of the public on the busy Ikorodu Road.”