Late Issa Jamiu

The Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) has recounted how one of its officers, Mr. Jamiu Issa, was killed by a ‘hit- and- run’ driver in Ajah area of Lagos metropolis, on Tuesday.

The agency’s General Manager, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, in a statement issued by the  Assistant Director, Public Affairs, of the agency, Mr. Filade Olumide, onWednesday night,  explained that the late Issa, was fatally hit and run over by the driver of a green Toyota Sienna vehicle, with  Lagos Registration number, FST 901 AR, while trying to apprehend him (the driver) for a traffic offence, on the Lekki-Ajah corridor.

The late officer,  who died in the early hours of  Tuesday, the 19th of April, 2022, was said to have approached and accosted the Sienna vehicle driver for driving against the flow of traffic (One-way).

The errant driver was said to be facing oncoming vehicles from Chevron towards the Conservation Toll Plaza.

Issa, who was the LASTMA patrol team leader in Ajah, accosted the driver, who had pretended to be alighting from the vehicle.

“The traffic offender, who had open the door and pretended to be coming out of the vehicle, later changed his mind, and tried to escape by reversing the vehicle, thereby knocking down Issa with the opened door, while the  front tyre  also ran over the officer,” Oreagba stated.

According to the LASTMA boss, while Issa’s colleagues at the scene of the event,  quickly put a call through to the zonal head,  some good Samaritans  gave the  fleeing driver a hot chase, before apprehending him at the Chevron Waterfront Area, and handing  him over to the police.

Commiserating with the deceased’s family,  Oreagba  expressed displeasure that some unscrupulous individuals still continue to kill, maim and inflict pains on personnel of the agency, despite several appeals and warnings.

He however assured of the agency’s commitment to ensuring that such unscrupulous elements, who had continued to shun all entreaties, would be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that the unfortunate incident would not discourage the officers of the agency from carrying out their duties and responsibilities, as enshrined in the law setting up the agency.