Two Commercial Bus Drivers Jailed for Assaulting LASTMA Officials in Victoria Island
LAGOS — Two commercial bus drivers have been sentenced to three months in prison by a Lagos Mobile Court for orchestrating a violent mob attack on officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The court handed down the ruling on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, a day after the assault occurred near LASTMA’s Central District Office (Zone 9) in the Victoria Island/Lekki corridor.
According to LASTMA, the incident unfolded on Monday, April 7, after operatives apprehended a white commercial minibus (popularly called “korope”) with registration number SMK 742 YJ for obstructing traffic around the Mekwen Bridge, inward Flag House.
Shortly after the arrest, the bus driver reportedly mobilised a group of fellow commercial operators who arrived in two other minibuses, including one bearing the plate number GGE 995 YF. The group launched a coordinated and violent attack on the LASTMA officers at the scene.
Swift response from security personnel led to the arrest of two of the attackers, who were arraigned immediately before the Mobile Court sitting in Oshodi. The court found them guilty and sentenced them to three months of custodial imprisonment.
Reacting to the judgment, LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the court’s swift decision, noting that the ruling sends a strong message to those who persist in undermining traffic enforcement efforts across the state.
“This judgment serves as a necessary deterrent to those who take the law into their own hands. We will not tolerate any form of aggression against our officials,” Bakare-Oki said.
The agency reiterated its commitment to enforcing traffic laws and ensuring the safety of all road users in Lagos, vowing to maintain a zero-tolerance stance against attacks on its personnel.
