Hoodlums attack LASTMA officials in Lagos, vandalise van

Hoodlums on Wednesday attacked officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) at Costain Roundabout in Lagos and vandalised one of their patrol vehicles.
The the hoodlums went on the rampage on suspicion that one LASTMA official allegedly hit a commercial driver with a charm while arresting him over traffic offence.
The hoodlums and commercial drivers then blocked the Costain roundabout, causing a traffic snarl on the ever busy road.
An eye witness, Mr Kehinde Salami, said the LASTMA official stopped the commercial bus.
“The driver was dragging the steering wheel with the officials and one of them hit the driver with hand, the driver fell down and started foaming from the mouth.
“The LASTMA officials took away the bus, leaving the man on the floor.
“While this was happening, a LASTMA patrol car 003, with registration number RT 503 LA came into the scene with two officials in it. The hoodlums’ pounced on them but the officials escaped.
“The vehicle was vandalized; they even attempted to set it ablaze if not for BRT buses parked within the vicinity,’’ Salami said.
The conductor of the erring commercial bus, who simply identified himself as Kelvin, said that LASTMA officials arrested their vehicle while attempting to pick passengers at Costain Roundabout.
According to the conductor, the officials physically assaulted both of them until the driver fell down and fainted.
“As soon as he fell down, the LASTMA officials took away our bus,’’ he said.
The hoodlums took the victim in a tricycle with registration number KJA 409 QD to LASTMA Iponri office where a scuffle ensued.
The hoodlums later retreated following the arrival of police patrol teams which removed the vandalized LATSMA car to Iponri Police Station.
A Lagos State Emergency Ambulance Service with registration number KSF 632 DR later took the victim to General Hospital in Lagos Island.
LASTMA Commander in Surulere, Gbolahan Rasheed, who was in the vandalised car, that his vehicle ran into the hoodlums at about 9:20 am at Costain.
“We escaped by a whisker. I ran to Iponri Police Station to report, while the driver of the patrol car, Abalaya, was beaten seriously,’’ said the LASTMA Commander.
He said that the commercial bus driver, who allegedly fainted at the scene, suddenly started talking on getting to Lagos Island General Hospital.
“`The doctor called from the hospital to inform us that the driver had been discharged.
“That is why we arrested the conductor and one other, who claimed to be a brother to the commercial bus driver. We want them to provide the driver,’’ Rasheed said.