A Lagos bus driver allegedly set himself and a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer on fire in a dramatic attempt to evade arrest, causing significant traffic disruption on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway. The incident, captured in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, showed the driver igniting his vehicle in frustration.
Confirming the incident, LASTMA spokesman Adebayo Taofiq, who serves as Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, stated that the injured officer was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
“LASTMA management is aware of a distressing video showing the driver of a Volkswagen T4 commercial bus, with the number plate LSD 355 CK, setting both his vehicle and LASTMA officers ablaze in a brazen attempt to evade arrest,” Taofiq said.
The confrontation occurred on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, when LASTMA officials intercepted the bus near the Cele inward Mile 2 area for violating traffic rules.
According to Taofiq, “The driver resisted arrest with extreme aggression, along with his conductor, by dousing petrol on LASTMA personnel and escalating hostilities into physical attacks.”
The injured officer, who suffered severe burns, was immediately taken to an undisclosed hospital for urgent care.
LASTMA reiterated its dedication to maintaining order on Lagos roads under the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018. “The agency strongly urges all commercial and other drivers to comply fully with traffic regulations and respect the authority of LASTMA personnel,” Taofiq said, emphasizing that LASTMA will not tolerate any form of violence or intimidation against its officers.
