By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
An officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) that was knocked down on Tuesday while controlling traffic in Ketu area by a motorist has died, Daily Sun confirms.
The death of officer Samson Olawale Akinmade was announced by the General Manager of LASTMA, Olajide Oduyoye, in a statement on Thursday.
Oduyoye disclosed that the deceased eventually died in the early hours of Wednesday, January 27, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where was receiving treatment.
Giving details of the unfortunate incident, Oduyoye said the driver of a blue-black Opel Space Bus with registration number AAA 74 GG knocked down Akinmade at Demurin Street junction inwards Mile 12 while controlling traffic, leaving him with head and body injuries. The officer was immediately rushed to LASUTH where he eventually died around 1:00 am on Wednesday’s morning as a result of the severe injury sustained.
‘This event is particularly sad because this was a young, intelligent and dedicated officer employed in the year 2019, was very committed to his job but has been cut down in his prime by a careless and lawless driver, thereby depriving his family, the government agency, Lagos and Nigeria of a future leader in the making,’ he said.
Explaining further, the General Manager said the event occurred while the deceased was directing yellow buses away from the Demurin Street Junction choke point and approached the motorist to park away from the road to pick passengers.
‘The driver assumed that he would be apprehended for obstructing traffic and sped off, knocking down the officer against the concrete culvert on the service lane and dragging him for about seven metres. He tried to escape through a street which turned out to be closed but was eventually arrested and handed over to the Police at Alapere along with his vehicle,’ Oduyoye explained.
He expressed the sympathy of colleagues at the Ministry of Transportation and LASTMA to the entire family of the deceased, assuring that the state government will ensure that the apprehended driver is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Oduyoye warned all motorists to desist from violating the State Traffic Law in order to prevent unnecessary accidents and deaths on Lagos roads, urging commuters to exercise patience at all times.
