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Photos: Bus Driver Sets Himself and LASTMA Officials on Fire in Lagos During Arrest Attempt

Published by Tope Fakinlede on November 6th, 2024.

Photos: Bus Driver Sets Himself and LASTMA Officials on Fire in Lagos During Arrest Attempt

A disturbing incident occurred in Lagos on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, when a commercial bus driver, in an attempt to evade arrest for a traffic violation, set both himself and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials on fire in the Mile 2 area, according to reports from FIRSTCLASSGISTS Nigeria.

The shocking event took place in the Cele inward Mile-2 area, where the driver had been stopped by LASTMA officers for violating traffic rules. In a video circulating on social media, a yellow-colored 14-passenger bus was seen parked partially in the middle of the road, with several traffic officers confronting the driver.

Suddenly, fire erupted, catching the officers by surprise. Some officers were injured, while the driver, suspected to be the one responsible for the fire, was also engulfed in the blaze. In a desperate attempt to escape the flames, the driver ran into the middle of the road, trying to remove his singlet. During this, he narrowly avoided being struck by an approaching petrol tanker.

Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs at LASTMA, confirmed the incident in a statement, describing the driver’s actions as a violent attempt to evade arrest. The statement read, “The driver of the Volkswagen T4 commercial bus with license plate LSD 355 CK resisted arrest in an extreme manner, pouring petrol on both the officers and his vehicle, resulting in a fire.”

Taofiq further explained that the driver and his conductor aggressively confronted the officers, physically attacking them and escalating the situation, which eventually led to the fire.

The agency also reported that one of the officers sustained serious burns in the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.

This latest clash between LASTMA officials and commercial drivers is not an isolated case. In 2022, a similar incident occurred when a commercial driver set himself on fire in Ajao Estate, Lagos, after officials attempted to seize his vehicle. He reportedly poured fuel on himself and ignited it when officers tried to tow his bus.

Tensions between commercial drivers and LASTMA officials have been a recurrent issue, with several confrontations turning violent over the years.