Commercial Bus Driver Stabs LASTMA Officer at Ojota, Vehicle Impounded

Police Launch Manhunt as Injured Officer Undergoes Emergency Surgery

A traffic enforcement operation at Ojota Interchange turned violent over the weekend when a commercial bus driver allegedly stabbed an officer of the (LASTMA) with a broken bottle following an attempted arrest.

The incident occurred along the busy Ojota–Ketu corridor in Lagos, where the painted Caravelle GL Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number EKY 693 YK was intercepted for operating with its passenger door left open while fully loaded with commuters — a serious traffic violation that posed grave danger to passengers and other road users.

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the Agency, the driver reacted with defiance upon being stopped. Eyewitness accounts indicate that he resisted arrest and attempted to flee the scene by dangerously mounting the road median in a desperate effort to escape. His attempt was thwarted when the vehicle reportedly broke down, forcing him to abandon the escape plan.

In a shocking escalation, the driver allegedly grabbed a jagged broken bottle from inside the bus and attacked the enforcement officers, stabbing one officer in the fingers of his right hand. The assault caused severe fractures and significant blood loss before the suspect fled the scene.

Despite the suspect’s escape, the offending vehicle was immediately impounded in line with traffic regulations. The injured officer was rushed to a nearby medical facility where he underwent emergency surgery. Medical sources confirmed that two fingers required operative reconstruction due to the severity of the injuries. He remains under close medical supervision.

Reacting to the development, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a brazen affront to lawful authority and civil order. He assured that the matter has been reported to the Police and that efforts are underway to apprehend and prosecute the suspect.

The Agency reiterated its commitment to enforcing traffic laws across Lagos State, warning commercial transport operators against reckless violations and violent resistance to lawful enforcement.

LASTMA maintained that it will continue to intensify operations aimed at ensuring road safety, discipline, and the seamless flow of traffic throughout the metropolis, stressing that acts of lawlessness will be met with firm legal consequences.