By Olasunkanmi Akoni

• LASG frowns at military’s contravention of traffic rules

Some men of the Nigerian Army, last weekend, reportedly went on the rampage, beating men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, along the Costain-Apapa area of Lagos State, for daring to arrest one of their senior officers for allegedly driving against traffic, otherwise known as ‘One–Way’.

According to findings, the senior military officer was stopped and had his official vehicle impounded over alleged traffic contravention by driving one-way around Costain, in an attempt to beat the gridlock.

It was learnt that the military officer, who felt slighted by the manner the LASTMA officers accosted him, left the scene and, few minutes later, some soldiers appeared and went after every LASTMA officer on sight, reportedly pounced on them, took them to their barracks and gave them thorough beatings before they were later let off, after intervention by relevant authorities.

It was gathered that the battered LASTMA officials were, subsequently, taken to hospital for the injury sustained during the ordeal.

Calm was later restored between both parties after apologies were tendered to each other.

The state Coordinator, Special Traffic Management Committee on Apapa gridlock, Hassan Adekoya, who confirmed the incident, said the issue had been amicably resolved following intervention by relevant authorities.

Adekoya said: “Everything is fine now and our man is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Both parties have apologised to each other and there is no cause for alarm. The situation is under control.

“Our men were assaulted and beaten. Some military men arrested 12 LASTMA officers at the weekend while on duty and beat them.

“Last Friday, around 5 pm, they started raiding our officers on duty at Costain Roundabout to Sifax down to Total Bridge, Apapa. They picked up the most senior officer, called Bravo at Areas “B” Oriyomi.

“The invading soldiers claimed that one of their bosses was arrested in the morning for taking one way. So, they went after any LASTMA officer in sight, all the way from Costain to Apapa. At the end of the rampage, 12 officers were picked at diferent locations while on duty.

“The officers include Balogun Sadiq, Ayoade Abideen, Adebayo Tunde, Kazeem Abensin, Rafiu Rasaki, Oloyede and Logunleko Oriyomi.

Lagos govt warns

State Commissioner of Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, while reacting to incessant assaults of LASTMA personnel, objected to the rate at which military personnel, police officers and other uniform men contravene the state traffic laws with impunity, noting that “the law is no respecter of anybody and must be obeyed at all time.”

Oladeinde, in a statement, added that the state government wondered why uniform men, who should be custodian of the traffic laws, work against it, stating that the government had resolved not to allow the menace continue unchecked.

While urging all security agencies to show exemplary conduct by leading the way in obeying the traffic laws of the state, Oladeinde warned that “any form of physical assault of the state traffic law enforcement officers by the erring security personnel will no longer be tolerated.”