Lagos Crackdown: Six Arraigned for Brutal Attack on LASTMA Officials

Published 8 hours ago3 minute read
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Lagos Crackdown: Six Arraigned for Brutal Attack on LASTMA Officials

The Lagos State Mobile Courts have ordered the remand of six suspected miscreants following an alleged violent attack on officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other government agencies. This incident occurred during a midnight enforcement operation along Airport Road in Lagos. According to a statement issued on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, by Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, seven individuals were arraigned on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, before the Chief Magistrate of the Lagos State Mobile Court. They faced four-count charges related to violent conduct and obstruction of lawful duties. While one defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was granted bail, the remaining six were remanded in custody as the court adjourned the case to February 19, 2026, for further hearing.

The enforcement exercise, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday, December 23, was personally led by the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki. It was a collaborative effort involving security operatives, the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) Corps, the Lagos State Task Force, and LASTMA field officers. This extensive operation was initiated following a series of formal complaints from the Nigerian Airport Authority (NPA) regarding the persistent illegal occupation of its facilities by criminal syndicates and defiant commercial bus operators along the airport corridor.

The Nigerian Airport Authority expressed deep concerns that the activities of these notorious miscreants and illegal operators had degenerated into a grave public nuisance and an unsightly blight on the airport corridor. They reported recurring incidents of harassment, intimidation, and the dispossession of unsuspecting members of the public of their personal belongings, operating in flagrant defiance of extant regulations. This consistent pattern of lawlessness prompted the joint enforcement action to restore order and safeguard public property.

During the lawful execution of the enforcement operation, five officers of the joint task force were viciously attacked with dangerous weapons by the suspects. In a desperate and brazen attempt to sabotage the exercise and challenge the authority of the State, one of LASTMA’s tow trucks was deliberately set ablaze by the rampaging miscreants. This act of violence underscored the severity of the challenge posed by these criminal elements to government officials performing their duties.

Despite the violent resistance and the threat to lives and public assets, the enforcement team displayed commendable professionalism, restraint, and courage while carrying out their duties. The operation successfully led to the impoundment of a total of 56 vehicles for various traffic and environmental infractions. The seized vehicles included 44 commercial buses, five private cars, and seven trucks, aiming to curb ongoing violations in the area.

Reacting to the incident, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki reiterated the Lagos State Government’s unwavering commitment to protecting critical public infrastructure, ensuring the safety of road users, and maintaining law and order across the metropolis. He issued a stern warning that the state would not succumb to intimidation or tolerate violence from criminal elements, stressing that all acts of lawlessness would be met with the full weight of the law and decisive legal action. Furthermore, the LASTMA boss assured residents that enforcement activities along key and strategic corridors in Lagos would continue unabated, in collaboration with sister agencies, to curb criminal activities, restore order, and safeguard lives and property across the metropolis.

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