Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: LASTMA

  • Hypertensive Man dies as Corrupt LASTMA Officials Seeking Bribe Seize Vehicle

    Hypertensive Man dies as Corrupt LASTMA Officials Seeking Bribe Seize Vehicle

    A Bureau De Change operator suffered cardiac arrest when his car was seized by two officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority in Surulere, Lagos State.

    Modibo Usman, who was hypertensive, was being driven by his son, Mustapha, to the Foremost Radiology Consultant Hospital on Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, to obtain a test result for his daughter, Ummu, when they encountered the officers.

    Mustapha said his father also had an appointment with his doctor at the Living Heart Hospital in the Lekki area of the state on the same day, Punch reports.

    He said when two LASTMA officers stopped him for allegedly disobeying traffic light, his father pleaded that he was on his way for a medical emergency but the officers ignored him.

    He alleged that the officers demanded a N50,000 bribe to release the vehicle.

    Mustapha told Punch; “My father and I kept pleading with them but the officers refused. My father was even crying and telling them that he had a medical emergency but they said that is what people usually say.

    “The two officers ordered us to go to the back seat and they sat at the front and started driving us to the Foremost Radiology Consultant Hospital. My father continued crying that he was in an emergency; they then demanded N50,000 to release us.

    “But when we got to the hospital, we quickly rushed to get the test result to show them so we could continue our journey to see his doctor at Lekki but the officers and the vehicle were nowhere to be found when we returned.

    “Instantly, my dad suffered a shock and collapsed. I quickly alerted the nurses where we picked my sister’s result and they rushed to attend to him and confirmed him dead.

    “When I rushed to the LASTMA office to inform the officers that what they did had caused my father’s death, they started saying I could take the vehicle but I left it there and called our relative, Mrs Yosi Yaduma, to inform her about what happened.”

    Yaduma said she reported the case at the Area C Command in Surulere and the two officers were arrested. The case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

    Yaduma said Modibo was the breadwinner of his family. He is survived by two wives and 11 children.

    Family members of the man are demanding justice following the death of their breadwinner.

  • Lagos Traffic Officials To Wear Body Cameras – LASTMA GM

    Lagos Traffic Officials To Wear Body Cameras – LASTMA GM

    The General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olajide Oduyoye says the agency will employ body camera technology as part of measures to ensure offenders are apprehended with solid evidence.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the LASTMA GM said Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu is working towards helping the agency acquire the necessary technologies to checkmate traffic offence within the metropolis.

    “This year, we are definitely hoping to start in the next few weeks what you will say are non-approachable offence dealings. That means we are going to be having body cameras on officers to capture incidences because things happen so fast and you can’t really say let me get my camera. But if you have your body camera on that is recording, then, you can capture all sorts of different things that you can use against offenders,” Oduyoye said.

    He also disclosed that some persons who violate rules often remove traffic signs to deliberately disobey road laws.

    “Those who willfully disobey traffic signs go in the middle of the night to remove those signs. When they are caught, they will say that there were no signs. They go and remove the signs to prove they aren’t aware of the signs. This happens all the time,” Oduyoye stated.

    Reacting to the incident in which a Sports Utility Vehicle knocked a police officer in a canal, the LASTMA GM revealed that the driver, Sunday Okodo, has been charged to court with two counts of attempted murder and traffic violation.

    Okodo had been caught on video driving against traffic and tipping a policeman over a bridge along the International Airport Road, in an attempt to flee when accosted by security operatives.

    Oduyoye said the police inspector identified as David Zapaina, who was thrown over the bridge, has been discharged from the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

    “He is alive and he has been discharged from the hospital but it is more like he needs to seek more local intervention to reset his bones,” the LASMA boss noted.

    He cautioned road users in Lagos to obey traffic laws and accept the consequences of their actions if they are apprehended for flouting the rules of the road.

  • LASTMA officer dies in hospital after being knocked down by motorist

    LASTMA officer dies in hospital after being knocked down by motorist

    An official of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Samson Olawale Akinmade has died in a hospital after being knocked down by a motorist at Mile 12, Ketu area of Lagos State.

    The deceased was carrying out his duties on Tuesday, Jan 26, when he was knocked down and he reportedly died in the early hours of Wednesday, Jan 27.

    LASTMA General Manager, Engineer Olajide Oduyoye disclosed this in a statement. He said the driver of a blue-black Opel Space Bus with number plate AAA 74 GG knocked down Akinmade at Demurin Street junction inwards Mile 12 while controlling traffic, leaving him with head and body injuries.

    According to the General Manager, the officer was immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he eventually died at about 1.00 a.m as a result of the severe injury sustained.

    Oduyoye said: “This event is particularly sad because this was a young, intelligent and dedicated officer employed in the year 2019. He 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.”

    Explaining further, Oduyoye said the accident 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.

    “But 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 sympathised with 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.

  • Defying lockdown order suicidal — LASTMA GM

    Defying lockdown order suicidal — LASTMA GM

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says residents of Lagos, especially motorists, defying COVID-19 lockdown order are on suicidal mission.

    The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, made this assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

    “It is very difficult to understand how we are trying to prevent people from killing themselves by violating the stay-at-home order and some still do not understand the implications for them and their loved ones,” Oduyoye told NAN.

    The LASMA boss advised officers on the road to be very careful and safety conscious while carrying out their constitutional duty of enforcing traffic laws.

    According to him, this has become necessary since LASTMA officers are not wearing Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) on the road.

    He urged the officers to work with the consciousness that members of the public were watching and monitoring them.

    “So, why we are doing the things we are doing, let us remember that people are watching, people are looking, people are recording and they are reporting.

    “So, let us be extremely careful as we go ahead to make sure that residents of Lagos do not endanger themselves on the road.

    “LASTMA officers should not also endanger themselves,” he added.

    On the Ramadan, Oduyoye urged the Muslims among the officers to pray for the authority, the state and the country during the period.

    “I will  like to wish our Muslim brothers and sisters in LASTMA, Ramadan Kareem. It is an opportunity to reflect on our lives and the the love we have for Allah and to pray fervently for this nation.

    “Above all, we should pray for ourselves, our families and to pray that the pandemic that is going on will not reach our door steps and anyone that we know and that we love.

    “May Allah accept our sacrifice of fasting, our prayers and be there for all of us,” Oduyoye said.

  • BREAKING: CEO of LASTMA, Chris Olakpe, dies

    The Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Chris Olakpe, is dead.

    Our Correspondent learnt that the retired Assistant Inspector General of Police died on Sunday.

    The LASTMA Director of Research and Statistics, Isaac Adetimiro, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone.

    He explained that Olakpe did not show any sign of sickness and no one knew he was ill.

    “We heard about it this morning. He did not show any sign of any sickness. We are really shocked,” he said.

    The source noted that he gave up in a hospital in the state.

  • Lagos City Marathon: LASTMA deploys 350 officers for hitch-free exercise

    Lagos City Marathon: LASTMA deploys 350 officers for hitch-free exercise

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says no fewer than 350 officers have been deployed and mobilised for the Access Bank-Lagos City Marathon billed for Saturday.

    “We have about 350 officers minimum to control traffic for a hitch-free exercise; we are starting work from this night.

    “Motorists should endure this; the marathon is a good thing for Lagos. Let motorists be careful on the road,” General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

    He said that anyone that could postpone whatever he or she needed to do on Saturday to another day could consider doing so.

    “Let us come out and enjoy the marathon rather than being held up in traffic because of the restrictions,” the general manager said.

    Oduyoye, who urged motorists to heed traffic diversions and obey traffic officers, said that the marathon was not meant to bring any pain to road users.

    NAN reports that the travel advisory by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) stated that the marathon, starting from 5.30 a.m., would see some of the major highways in Lagos experience total closure while it is on.

    Outlining the routes, the statement said: “The Marathon shall commence from the National Stadium, Surulere, and shall go through Funsho Williams Avenue, Ojuelegba Bridge and Dorman-Long Bridge to descend into Ikorodu Road.

    “The race will go through Fadeyi, Obanikoro, Anthony and connect Gbagada, Third Mainland Bridge, Adeniji, Osborne Road, Alfred Rewane (Old Kingsway) Road, Falomo Roundabout, Bourdillion Road and Cable Bridge.

    “In view of the designated routes of the Marathon being closed to traffic, in some instances, from 4.00a.m, it is imperative that motorists and commuters be advised on alternative routes.’’

    According to the advisory, the alternative routes are being made available so that individuals can plan their journeys in advance.

    It said that motorists on Eko Bridge coming from Lagos Island should be diverted to Costain Roundabout to connect Ebute-Metta, Orile, Nigerian Breweries and Bode Thomas to connect destination.

    “Motorists coming from Costain inward journey Alaka shall be diverted to Iponri and Iponri Estate to Bode Thomas to connect destination.

    “Motorists coming from Masha, Kilo inward journey to Stadium shall be diverted at Shitta Roundabout for onward movement through Falolu or Adeniran Ogunsanya Roads to connect destination.’’

    It said that motorists coming from Apapa/Orile-Iganmu going toward Ojuelegba, Mushin and environs should go through Eric Moore, Bode Thomas, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Shitta Roundabout and Falolu among others to connect destination.

    “On Ikorodu Road, vehicular movement is allowed from Anthony (by Theodolite Junction) inward Ojota. Traffic is also allowed from Ojota through Maryland, Anthony to Ojuelegba to Eko Bridge via the National Stadium Bridge.

    “However, no U-turn is allowed between Anthony and Stadium as a result of the marathon holding from Stadium inwards Anthony.

    “On Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Motorists coming from Mile 2 inward journey Gbagada, cannot go through Anthony Oke until the Race leaves the axis.

    “Hence, motorists shall be diverted into Agege Motor Road via the service lane of BOC Gases / Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, or through Town Planning Way to connect destination.’’

    It added that motorists coming from Old Tollgate, Alapere, Ogudu going to Lagos Island would be diverted to Gbagada, Anthony to connect Ikorodu Road onward journey Funsho Williams Avenue to connect Lagos Island through Eko Bridge.

    “Motorists coming from Ajah inward Ozumba Mbadiwe shall be diverted to Admiralty Way from Lekki Second Roundabout to connect Cable Bridge onward journey to destination.

    “Motorists descending Cable Bridge into Ikoyi shall be diverted into Gerrard Road to connect Osborne Road and connect destination. Bourdillion and Alexander Roads are closed to vehicular traffic within the duration of the Race.

    “From Awolowo Road, Motorists shall be diverted to Falomo Bridge to connect Ozumba Mbadiwe Road while Falomo Roundabout inwards Bourdillion shall be closed to traffic, as well as Akin Adesola inwards Bar Beach.

    “The motoring public should please, note that all adjoining streets and feeder roads leading to the Marathon route shall be temporarily closed to traffic until the exercise leaves that axis to ensure the safety of the athletes.’’

    The LSSC also apologised for any inconvenience the event would cause, saying that the Lagos State Government was seeking the cooperation and understanding of the general public.

    “We expect compliance with the directives of Traffic and Security Personnel strategically positioned at critical points and intersections in order to maintain compliance and orderliness,” it said.