ETIM EFFIONG
Policemen, who were passing through Oje-Elegba, allegedly brutalised a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer for questioning them why they were driving against traffic.
With blood from her injured hand dropping on the floor and a big rag tied around the hand, the LASTMA lady said the policemen were not in uniform when she tried to stop them.
A good Samaritan bemoaned the attitude of the policemen, who injured the traffic official and locked her up in Area ‘C’ command.
The good Samaritan, a man said, “This is a LASTMA lady, I just picked her from Ojue-Elegba at Area ‘C’ after policemen injured her when she was controlling traffic.
“They still threatened to lock her up for no offence; she was only controlling traffic. The policemen did not wear uniform and they were passing one-way.
“She stopped and asked them why they were passing one-way; they used the same vehicle to push her off and injured her on her hand.
“They also got her arrested. They took her to Area ‘C’ Ojue-Elegba and refused to take her to a hospital for treatment. I’m the one that took her in my vehicle.”
Explaining her ordeal, the LASTMA lady, who could faintly call out her name as Davis, said: “When I was controlling the traffic, they (the policemen) followed one way.
“Initially, I did not know anybody was coming, but when I moved closer to them, I asked them why they were following one way?
“I saw a soldier in uniform; I now saw another in a small bus (korope) at their back. I asked them if they too were soldiers because I just passed a soldier.
“They said they are policemen, it was then I asked them why they were not in their uniforms. The ‘korope’ man just pushed me and asked me to move away ‘ja re’, and as I tried to run away, my hand just got cut in the thing.
“They did not even wait; I jumped into the bus and asked them to take me to a hospital for treatment, instead they took me to their station, where I was locked up. They keep me in the station, Area ‘C’ Command, away from my point.
“I had to use this rag to tie myself since none of them could help me.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, could not be reached for comments as his telephone line rang out. He did not also respond to text message that was sent into his phone.