A DRIVER who killed two road cleaners on Monday, November 13, on the Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos State has reportedly submitted himself to the state’s Police Command.
According to Channels Television on Tuesday morning, Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the state Police command, said that the suspect, who was driving the car with the license plate number EPE 984 DV, submitted himself to the Police on Monday evening.
“He turned himself in yesterday (Monday), and he will be arraigned for manslaughter possibly today (Tuesday),” Hundeyin told Channels TV.
The ICIR reported that there was pandemonium in Lagos on Monday morning after a hit-and-run commercial bus hit two street cleaners while attempting to escape arrest by the state traffic management agency (LASTMA).
The two cleaners’ lifeless bodies were laid inside the gutter at the Charley Boy Bus Stop via Oshodi- Gbagada expressway, inward Iyana-Oworo.
Eyewitnesses’ accounts blamed LASTMA officers for the tragedy.
The officers fled as the driver vanished with his bus after the incident to escape a possible mob action.
One of the witnesses, who identified himself as Friday, said the officers were unprofessional in their bid to apprehend the bus driver.
Other street cleaners were seen mourning the death of their colleagues as vehicular movement stalled, leaving commuters stranded.
Many commuters trekked to the nearest bus stop to continue their journey.
The ICIR contacted the LASTMA spokesperson, Taofiq Adebayo, on Monday morning to get his reaction to the allegation against the agency’s officers.
He said, “We are trying to put a press statement. You will get it very soon.”
However, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday evening, signed by Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, the government denied claims that LASTMA caused the accident.
“Information gathered revealed that the driver of a Honda Saloon Car with registration number EPE 984 DV rammed into the innocent sweepers while they were discharging their duties along Gbagada Expressway this morning.
“Immediate investigation revealed that no LASTMA personnel was involved in the unfortunate incident,” part of the statement read.
The statement also stated that to facilitate a thorough investigation into the cause of the tragedy, Police officers from Pedro Police Station had recovered the car that killed the cleaners.
A reporter with the ICIR
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