Two LASTMA officials caught on camera fighting passengers over N100 bribe

Two officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have been caught on camera, by a PREMIUM TIMES reporter, fighting bus passengers over N100 bribe.

The officials with the badge name E. A. Fagbuyi and N. Oladega were caught at Toll Gate (7up) bus-stop, along Berger road, in the Lagos metropolis.

They also brutalised a passenger who simply identified herself as Sandra to our correspondent. She was in the bus stopped by the officials around 12noon, on Thursday.

This reporter was also in the vehicle going from Ikeja to Obalende. The two officials accused the bus driver of boycotting them since last week, hence, demanded money for the supposed ‘offense’.

The conductor of the bus told our correspondent that they were seeking N100 bribe.

Mr Fagbuyi took charge of the vehicle and was heading to an unknown location when the passengers protested.

An elderly man in the bus asked for his money to enable him to join another bus but Mr Fagbuyi simply said: “your head is not correct. Do I look like a conductor? Get down or I drive you to my office.”

The argument led to a physical combat as other passengers made attempts to rescue the elderly man from the LASMA official.

Mr Oladega later joined his colleague in engaging the passengers in a fight. During the fight, Mr Oladega assaulted Sandra and also broke her phone screen. It took the efforts of passers-by to douse the tension.

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The officials also threatened to harm the lady for demanding that her phone be repaired.

“I have been molested and I can’t take it. I was receiving when one of the officials came to drag my phone and threw it on the floor. He broke the screen already. These guys are thugs and should not be accommodated in Lagos,”she said amidst sobs.

This newspaper reached out to LASTMA spokesperson, Olumide Filade, on telephone about the ugly incident. He did not respond to our correspondent’s calls and text messages three hours after the fight.

Officials of the transport agency have been caught in the past engaging is fights with bus drivers and conductors. One such incident occurred in March, in Maryland

They (LASTMA officials) have also been victims of attacks recently by police officers, soldiers and other citizens.