Man killed after shunning foot bridge in Lagos

As LASTMA renews traffic control plan

For shunning the pedestrian foot bridge constructed by the government to aid crossing of the ever busy Lagos –Ikorodu expressway, a middle aged man has been crushed to death in Ojota area of the state. Eyewitness account revealed that the man, who arrived Lagos from Ibadan with his wife was crushed by a commercial bus popularly known as ‘danfo’ just minutes after alighting from the bus that brought him to the state.

The diseased, identified simply as Olamide, the witness said was about crossing the busy Ikorodu Road when a speeding commuter bus crushed him, a few metres away from a pedestrian bridge. Daily Sun learnt that the bus driver that crushed him was fleeing from officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, who had sighted him plying a BRT lane, a restricted lane not meant for commuter bus drivers.

The witness said the man was not rushed to the hospital because he did not show any sign of life, coupled with the blood splattered all around him. Passersby pronounced him dead right there without any medical report. Meanwhile, LASTMA said it had unveiled new plans to ensure road safety, while managing traffic gridlock.

Speaking at Ogudu Ori Oke Area of Kosofe Local Government during the traffic management exercise tagged: ‘Operation unlock the gridlock’ the LASTMA General Manager, Mr Babatunde Edu, who led the top officials of the agency to the flag off exercise said it was geared towards ensuring road safety.

He said adequate research and information had been gathered by the agency to determine the best approach and solution to each traffic problem, saying the agency would apply scientific solution to the peculiarity of each area. Edu explained that daily influx of more people and vehicles into the state necessitated periodic traffic review of traffic management plans, adding that with the new plans, travelling within the state during peak period would be less tedious.