12 LASTMA Officers Killed In Lagos

At least 12 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, have been killed in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, during the course of performing their duties.

Statistics obtained from the LASTMA Headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos revealed that the 12 officers were killed between January and September 2012.
Some of the officers were killed by hit and run drivers and some attacked by hoodlums, among others.

LASTMA Chairman, Young Arabamen, decried the high rate of attack on officials of the authority and appealed to the public to desist from such barbaric act that had also left some officers seriously injured.

“We are appealing to the public to stop the attack on LASTMA officers. They are our brothers and people should treat them with respect. They are there to make your journey smooth.

“Assist them; we are not happy that people gang up with area boys to attack LASTMA officers,” said Arabamen, adding that when the public feel that some officers were not doing well, they should report to the authority for prompt action against such officers.

He said many LASTMA officers who behaved unruly while interacting with the public have been dismissed as government would not condone over-zealousness and indiscipline.

He added that the government has insurance package for officers who lost their lives during the course of performing their duties and that government has put in place measures to pay such officers their benefits.

Also, LASTMA General Manager, Babatunde Edu lamented the high rate of attack on LASTMA officers, saying that people should not always blame the officers for everything.

Edu, who spoke at the LASTMA headquarters, said the authority was mindful that LASTMA officers needed to be civil while performing their duties, saying that the public too needed to be civil when they deal with officers of the authority.

“You don’t enforce the law by breaching the law. The best we can do is to ensure the best for them which is what we are doing,” he said.
The LASTMA general manager was optimistic that LASTMA would get to the point of absolute civility when in contact with the public, adding that the authority was now wearing a new look.

Edu stated that at least 200 LASTMA officers were currently undergoing four weeks intensive training on career evaluation at Magodo, saying that all LASTMA officers would undergo the same training in batches for a period of 20 months.

According to him, the orientation of LASTMA officers would change for the better and that the public would feel their positive impact, while the officers would be able to enforce the law better.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga