A commercial bus driver has reportedly set himself ablaze while protesting the seizure of his vehicle, in the Ajao Estate area of Lagos State.
It was learnt that some shuttles were impounded by the operatives of the task force from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, while on enforcement duties along the Airport Road area connecting Ajao Estate.
The driver, whose bus was among the impounded vehicles, was said to be protesting the seizure when he suddenly reached for petrol, poured it on himself and set himself ablaze.
According to Punch, a resident said there was resistance between the aggrieved drivers and the task force operatives during the enforcement.
He said, “Task force operatives went to clean up the Airport shuttle area. During the exercise, they impounded some buses and had a face-off with some of the drivers. At a point, one of the frustrated drivers poured petrol on himself and set himself ablaze.”
While another resident noted that the victim got the vehicle on high purchase.
“The driver was frustrated. The task force operatives took the impounded vehicles away,” she added.
However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, hinted that the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had ordered an investigation into the incident.
“The information we got was that there was resistance when task force from the ministry of transportation went for enforcement. No policeman set any vehicle ablaze; policemen attached to the Ajao Estate Police Division were not involved in what happened. However, the Commissioner of Police has ordered investigation into the incident.”
According to the report, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit, Raheem Gbadeyinka, said no officer of the agency was involved in the operation.
“The incident happened around 5am and as of 8am, our men were still at the office because we were looking for fuel for our patrol vans as of that time.”
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