Lagos: Community loses two members in one week to alleged LASTMA brutality

This not the best of times for residents of Powerline area, Gbagada, Lagos State, as the community has lost two of its members in one week to the alleged brutality of men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA)Lamenting the alleged killings of his people by some officials of LASTMA, a community leader, Pa Gbenga Adebanjo, said the first incident happened on Wednesday, 12 September, 2012 when a battery charger, Adebayo Adex, was allegedly killed by a commercial bus driver being pursued by LASTMA officials.He told Community News that 'some LASTMA men were pursuing a commercial bus driver for violating traffic law and in an attempt to evade arrest the driver ran away but the LASTMA officials pursued him and, at a point, the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit the battery charger while doing his legitimate job. Immediately the incident happened, the LASTMA people disappeared. The battery charger was later confirmed dead in the hospital."The incident nearly led to a breakdown of law and order as youths in the area threatened to embark on protest. It was the community leaders that appealed to them not to take the laws into their own hands."Pa Adebanjo told Community News that as people were preparing for the 8th day prayer of the deceased battery charger, another member of the community was allegedly beaten to death by a team of law enforcement agents comprising police men and LASTMA operatives attached to Ilupeju area of Lagos state for obstructing the traffic.The second victim of the alleged brutality of law enforcement agent was Monday Jacob, a commercial bus driver who was living at Powerline area of Gbagada before he met his untimely death.Speaking on the the death of Jacob, Pa Adebanjo described the incident as unfortunate, especially as the people were still mourning the death of the battery charger.Pa Adebanjo, who was the lanlord of the second victim, called on the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to look into the killings with a view of ensuring justice."The victim was my tenant. He had been with me for close to 20 years now. He was an easy-going person, so I was surprised when I heard that he was beaten to death by policemen and LASTMA officials for traffic offence. We want justice so that our people will not die in vain."Already, the police and officials of LASTMA are trading blames over the killing. The management of LASTMA was trying absolve its men of any involvement in the killing.
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