1st September, 2014
Crisis erupted at the Mile 2 office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) recently when some officials of the Nigeria Customs allegedly launched an attack on officials of the agency.
The officers were alleged to have vandalized four vehicles and destroyed valuables of the LASTMA officials when they stormed their office in a bid to forcefully retrieve a wine Honda Pilot SUV that was confiscated by the agency.
The alleged unlawful invasion of LASTMA office was said to be as a result of the impoundment of the SUV with registration number EKY 521 CZ believed to belong to a senior official of the Nigerian Customs.
The driver of the SUV was allegedly caught by LASMA officials driving against traffic at Coconut area of Mile 2, Lagos.
According to reports, an hour after the arrest, a group of armed custom officials in convoy of three patrol vehicles stormed the LASTMA office and inflicted injuries on officials on sight.
The zonal head, Victor Adeyanju, recounted that the officers who were all in uniform stormed the office and demanded an unconditional release of their colleague’s vehicle but were informed that there is a standard procedure for the release of vehicles.
He alleged that this angered the custom officers and they started beating and dragging LASTMA officials on the floor, threatening not to leave the premises without the vehicle.
The Custom officers were also allegedly shooting sporadically, which led to pandemonium, as people inside the offices were held hostage while those outside ran for safety.
The custom officials were led by an officer who introduced himself as a Deputy Controller to the agency.
According to a LASTMA Officer, Musiliu Edu, a police corporal, Saliu Isiaka was battered for recording the attack while their phones and camera were seized at gunpoint.
It was alleged that another official of the agency, Wensu Idowu, was hit in the mouth with a gun butt and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
It took the concerted effort of the police from FESTAC police station to restore normalcy in the area.