The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force on Wednesday arraigned 13 workers of ‘Seven-Up Bottling Company’ for assault on officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, in a release by the Agency, stated that the enforcement team of the Agency arrested the 13 workers after they assaulted LASTMA officers and injured three of them while trying to tow a truck (MUS 75 XX) belonging to the company parked illegally on the road and causing traffic gridlock at the former Lagos toll gate on the Expressway.
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In his words, “The prosecution of these 13 arrested workers became imperative in order to serve as deterrent to others who might want to attack law enforcement officers in the course of performing their official duties and enforcing the Executive Order recently signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”
“It is disheartening that Officers employed to safeguard members of the public are always being attacked by same people whose interest were being protected”, he lamented.
One of the injured officers, Mr. Kazim Abayomi, who was transferred to LASUTH for treatment said drivers and workers of the company often engaged LASTMA officers physically with different weapons while trying to enforce traffic laws on their trucks illegally parked along the roadside.
He added that two other officers Anozie Peter and Demeji Tonade were also injured during the incident.
Abayomi disclosed further that the culprits were arraigned and charged for ‘Assault’ and ‘Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace’ under ‘Part III, Item 26’ of the Lagos State Traffic Sector Law at the Mobile Court, while the Presiding Magistrate, Olajuwon Amos adjourned the commencement of trial to 8th of August, 2019 after they had all pleaded ‘Not Guilty’.
