COMMAND ARRESTS FOUR POLICEMEN OVER BUS CONDUCTOR’S DEATH

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four policemen in connection with the death of a bus conductor, Ikechukwu Abarisim, who was crushed to death by a vehicle on Monday at Cele Bus stop along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

It was learnt that the deceased was allegedly dragged from the bus-which was in motion-by one of the policemen in an apparent attempt to arrest him.

Another policeman, who was said to be driving another vehicle reportedly, crushed Abarisim’s head after he fell to the ground.

Another version of the story, however, was that the person driving the vehicle which crushed the deceased was an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

An angry mob was said to have unleashed mayhem on the office of LASTMA on the Cele end of the expressway, vandalising property. A police team, it was learnt, later restored normalcy in the area.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, by LASTMA’s spokesperson, Mr. Mamud Hassan, the deceased was said to have been killed by the policemen attached to the agency.

It was stated that four police officials had been detained at the Itire Police Station in connection with the incident.

The statement read in part, “Some policemen attached to the agency were trying to arrest a commercial bus who contravened the LagosTraffic Law. At the time of the incident, no LASTMA official was involved in the attempted arrest, neither was an official of the agency at the scene or vicinity of the incident that claimed the victim’s life.

“However, immediately after the death of the victim, sympathisers and hoodlums invaded the LASTMA zone 30 Cele- Ijesha office, where they unleashed mayhem, destroyed impounded vehicles and other valuables”

While commiserating with the deceased’s family, the LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Babatunde Edu, promised that the culprits would be brought to book and enjoined members of the public to always report erring officers of the agency to the appropriate authorities for necessary sanction. He added that the agency had a zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline among its personnel.

“I commiserate with the relatives of the deceased and assure them of the support of the agency in unravelling the truth surrounding the death of their bread winner. The policemen who were allegedly involved in the matter have been handed over to the police at the Itire Police Station for further investigation into the matter,” he said.

The Lagos State police spokesperson, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said some LASTMA officials were being interrogated, adding that the Force would speak on the incident after investigation.

He said, “Investigation into the matter is ongoing. Men from both agencies are being held and interrogated in connection with the incident. We will speak after investigation.”

Culled from Punch