Commercial bus driver sets himself ablaze over seizure of his vehicle

A commercial bus driver on Tuesday, February 15, was confirmed dead after he set himself ablaze over seizure of his vehicle by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.

The commercial driver whose name is yet to be identified was driving along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road when he was intercepted by the taskforce team and his vehicle was impounded due to an alleged traffic offense.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver was seen protesting the seizure of his vehicle by LASTMA officials along the said road, which upon frustration, reached out for a keg of fuel and poured it on himself, and then set himself ablaze. He was later confirmed dead.

Two LASTMA officials were said to have dragged him out of his vehicle and started the ignition to take it to their base at Oshodi.

Another commercial bus driver who simply gave his name as Wadada, said: “LATSMA officials are treating us like slaves. They arrest and extort us at will. We go through hell in their hands and those of agberos and local government officials. How much do we make?

“Out of the money we make daily, we will buy fuel, return money to the vehicle owners and at the end of the day we are left with little or nothing. We are appealing to the state government to wade into the matter and save us from the hands of LASTMA officials.”

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had ordered an investigation into the incident.

In his words;

“The information we got was that there was resistance when task force from the ministry of transportation went for enforcement.

No policeman set any vehicle ablaze; policemen attached to the Ajao Estate Police Division were not involved in what happened. However, the Commissioner of Police has ordered investigation into the incident.”