8th March, 2011
A policeman was alleged to have caused the crash of a Mazda commuter bus with registration number X U 223 AGL, in the early hours of yesterday at the Ojota axis of Ikorodu road, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
It was gathered that the 18-passenger commuter bus was coming from Mowe-Ibafo in Ogun State, and wanted to drop some passengers beside the bridge at Ojota when a yet to be identified policeman, attached to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA), jumped into the vehicle and started struggling to take over the steering from the driver. In the process, the vehicle somersaulted.
Following the accident, it was gathered that some youths around the scene of the accident wanted to mob the policeman but he was rescued by policeman from Ketu Division, while he was taken to the Lagos State Accident and Trauma Centre near the old Toll Gate.
When P.M.NEWS visited the Ogudu Police Station, where the driver of the bus identified as Lekan Oyeleke is being detained, the police said the driver wanted to evade arrest, because he was dropping passengers in an unauthorized place.
But the driver said he never attacked the policeman, though, he admitted dropping passengers in an unapproved place.
The driver, who also has bruises on his arms, said the policeman jumped into his moving vehicle and started struggling with him which led to the accident. —Paul Sanusi& Abosede Agboola