13 Workers Of 7-UP Bottling Company Arrested For Assaulting LASTMA Officers

Operatives of the Lagos State Task Force today arraigned 13 workers of 7-UP Bottling Company for allegedly assaulting officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that the enforcement team of the agency arrested the 13 workers after they assaulted LASTMA Officers who were trying to tow a truck ( MUS 75 XX) belonging to the company causing serious traffic gridlock.

“The prosecution of the 13 arrested workers became imperative to serve as deterrent to others who might want to attack law enforcement officers in the course of enforcement of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s ‘Executive Order’ on traffic offenders across the State. It was disheartening that officers employed to safeguard members of the public were always being attacked by same people whose interest were being protected,” Egbeyemi said

According to Kazim Abayomi, one of the injured LASTMA officer who was transfered to LASUTH for treatment,

''most times, drivers and workers of this company always engaged us physically with different weapons while trying to enforce traffic laws on their illegally parked trucks  on the road side''.

Two other injured LASTMA workers (Towing truck operators) are Anozie Peter and Demeji Tonade.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Olajuwon Amos of the Lagos State Mobile Court who presided over the case adjourned the commencement of trial to 8th of August, 2019 after they all pleaded ‘not guilty’.

Those charged to court include Musa Lawal, Sanni Abdullahi, Okechukwu Amaeze, Dayo Sanusi, James Water, Okunola Femi, Awotoye Afolarin, Ibrahim Umaru, Usbie Stephen, Kelvin Arueyingho, Emmanuel Uche, Salisu Haruna and Jimoh Darihutor.