An
official of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) has
been caught red-handed demanding bribe from a motorist who is suspected
to have broken the Lagos traffic law deliberately to expose corrupt law
enforcement agents in the state.
The motorist, driving on Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos state, was stopped at the Golden Gate Chinese Restaurant junction, recorded an amateur video and sent it to the iWitness platform of Channels Television.
Picture of the scene
The yet-to-be identified LASTMA official accused the motorist of beating the traffic light.
As penalty, the motorist was charged the sum of N8,000 and was escorted
to the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to withdraw the cash to settle
the officer.
It will be recalled that a police officer, Chris
Omeleze, caught on film soliciting for inducement by an unknown motorist
was dismissed by the Nigerian Police Force. Download it HERE
Wife of a serving House of
Representatives member was fingered yesterday in the torture, beating
and alleged attempt to kidnap two ladies in Isale Eko area of Lagos.
Sources say that yesterday morning at about 7.15a.m, a
Toyota Camry car which was used for the operation caused a stir in
Bamgbose Street in Lagos Island at the heart of Lagos metropolis.
Like
a bolt from the blue, six unidentified ladies, carrying canes came out
of the unregistered grey coloured car and advanced towards No 101,
Bamgbose Street.
The unmasked ladies met one Alhaja Basidat Ajadi
Balogun, a business woman resident in the street and repeatedly flogged
her as she wept. (The woman pictured above)
Balogun, who was
shouting at the top of her voice while the beating was going on, tried
without success to find out from the rampaging ladies why she was being
beaten.
According to a resident of the street, who pleaded not to
be mentioned, while the severe beating was going on, Alhaja Jolaade
Batola, wife of an influencial legislator, a House of Representatives
member, representing Mainland federal constituency, was seen seated,
inside the unregistered Toyota Camry car and giving orders to the lady
on what to do to their victim.
The Nigerian Compass on Saturday,
further learnt that the rampaging ladies planned to take the business
woman away but for her resistance. The boot of their Camry was thrown
open, while the woman in the car ordered the ladies to drag the woman
and throw her into the boot.
Independent checks at the Lion
Building police command however showed that the matter has been reported
there even as our correspondent on Friday traced the battered business
woman to the General Hospital, who was receiving treatment.
Though
she was initially reluctant to speak with The Nigerian Compass on
Saturday, when she opened up, she said she was standing outside her
resident, talking to a tenant, when the six ladies, unknown to her,
accompanied, by Mrs Batola arrived the place and began to beat her up.
She
however insisted that she does not know the reason why the ladies beat
the hell out of her, insisting that she was not close to the wife of the
House of Representatives member. “Though Alhaja Batola owns a shop on
the same Bamgbose Street, we are not really close. Though I do greet
her,” said the victim.
The woman whose body was full of scares
from the beating put the cost of her medical treatment as well as some
of jewelries she was wearing when she was attacked at N600,000, and
confirmed that but for the residents, who mobilised and confronted the
ladies, she could have been kidnapped.
Inquiries at the Lion
Building police station, in Lagos Island revealed to our correspondent
that the case have been filed. The woman was asked to get a police
report on the incident, a police source disclosed.
Attempts made
to see Alhaja Owolabi Batola for her comment on the incident proved
abortive as her shop located on the same Bamgbose Street was not opened
yesterday.
