The incident was confirmed on Monday by LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, who said the suspect, identified as Lekan Olasunkanmi, had been handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
According to Taofiq, the attack occurred when a LASTMA patrol team moved to clear a traffic obstruction caused by a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LSR 989 XG at the busy Ile-Epo Market corridor.
He explained that the driver allegedly resisted the enforcement exercise before the conductor reportedly escalated the situation by attacking one of the traffic officers.
“The driver of the commercial vehicle vehemently resisted lawful enforcement procedures. In a shocking escalation of events, the vehicle’s conductor, later identified as Mr Lekan Olasunkanmi, armed himself with a screwdriver and violently attacked a LASTMA officer, inflicting a stab wound during the altercation,” the statement read.
The injured officer was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he received emergency treatment and is said to be responding positively.
Taofiq said the matter was reported to the Abattoir Police Division, while the suspect was taken into custody.
“Consequent upon the attack, the matter was promptly reported at the Abattoir Police Division, while the suspect was apprehended and taken into police custody for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“During the security preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted to bringing out the screwdriver and confessed that he mistakenly stabbed the LASTMA officer during the confrontation.”
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condemned what he described as the increasing attacks on traffic management personnel carrying out their lawful responsibilities.
He warned that anyone found assaulting LASTMA officials would face the full weight of the law.
“Anyone found attacking LASTMA personnel in the course of their lawful duties will face the full weight of the law.
“Our officers are deployed across the state to facilitate seamless movement of people, goods and services, as well as to ensure strict compliance with extant traffic regulations.
“Any act of violence against them constitutes an affront to public order and the rule of law and will not go unpunished,” Bakare-Oki said.
He also urged motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users to comply with the provisions of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, stressing that cooperation with traffic management officials is vital to maintaining a safer, more efficient and orderly transport system.
The LASTMA boss further appealed to transport unions and commercial vehicle operators to educate their members on the importance of respecting law enforcement and traffic management officers.
The incident adds to a series of attacks on traffic officials in Lagos while carrying out enforcement duties. In a previous case reported in November 2024, a commercial driver allegedly injured a LASTMA officer in the Mile 2 area after resisting arrest, before spraying petrol on the vehicle and officers, setting the bus ablaze and fleeing the scene.