3rd October, 2023
By Moses Omorogieva
The Police Command in Lagos State says two persons, including a pregnant woman died in the accident that occurred at Ago Palace Way, Okota area on Tuesday.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the figure.
“A pregnant woman and tricycle driver died in the incident,” he said.
Hundeyin said that three others, including a policeman were seriously injured and were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
He said the policeman, working with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) team was seriously beaten by angry mob and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
”The mob attacked the hospital and the injured policeman was evacuated to another facility for treatment and safety,” he said.
The spokesperson, however, said no arrests had been made but that the command had begun investigations into the incident.
NAN gathered that the accident occurred when a policeman and LASTMA official attempted to take control of the steering of a Sienna car from its driver.
It also gathered from an eye witness that the policeman was dragging the steering with the driver of the car into Wale Street, Balogun Bus Stop, Ago Palace Way, Okota.
”I saw the officer as he dragged the car steering with the driver, who refused to stop.
“He dragged the steering with the driver till the car hit a commercial tricycle driver (popularly known as Keke) carrying a pregnant woman with her two children.
“That was how the woman, her two children and the keke driver lost their lives this morning.
“The car crushed the victims and some other police officers rushed to the scene and started shooting sporadically,” the source said.
Meanwhile, LASTMA in a statement said that the accident happened when a car driver was apprehended for driving against traffic.
The LASTMA spokesperson, Mr Adebayo Taofiq, said that a tricycle operator and a pregnant woman died while the two school children sustained injury.
Taofiq said that a traffic officer attached to the area, Mr Hassan Kehinde, of zone 27, Okota, who led the patrol team explained that a driver of a blue Toyota Sienna car, with Reg. No. AKD 944 HN, was apprehended for driving against traffic (one-way) around Ago Palace Way.
He said that a policeman attached to the patrol team volunteered to escort the apprehended vehicle to LASTMA office for proper booking.
“On their way and in an attempt by the car driver to escape, diverted into Bayo Oyewale Street, Ago Roundabout and rammed into a fully loaded tricycle.
“While the tricycle operator died instantly, the pregnant woman later died at the hospital.
”And the two injured school children are currently in intensive care receiving medical attention,” he said.
The LASTMA spokesman said that the police escort in the contravened vehicle also sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the accident.
He said that the incident sparked off protests as irate mob descended on the escort police officer but with the timely intervention of police patrol from Ago/ Okota/Ilasa Stations, the policeman was saved from being lynched.
He added that LASTMA yard was invaded and valuable items vandalised, including vehicles within the premises.