The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), has said that the state government will prosecute anyone found assaulting or attacking any government officials in the course of their lawful duties.
The warning came in reaction to the recent attack on a Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) official at Berger area of the State by one Ibrahim Yusuf, a native of Osun State, who was disobeying the traffic law while driving a Suzuki mini van with registration number KJA 953 YE.
Onigbanjo reiterated government’s stance on zero tolerance of any form of attack or assault on its officials.
According to him, the accused was approached by LASTMA officials on duty in the area after he was seen wilfully breaking the Lagos State Traffic Law by obstructing traffic and stopping to pick passengers at different spots not designated as bus stops along the route.
Onigbanjo said: “In a bid to arrest the attacker for violating traffic rules, he ran into the market and reappeared with a butcher’s knife with which he stabbed the LASTMA team’s leader, identified as Officer Awotola Victor Olatunde, on the head and throat. The accused further threatened to kill him and leave Lagos State afterwards.
“All efforts to arrest the violent attacker proved abortive as he was still threatening to kill the official.”
However, the said Ibrahim Yusuf was later brought to the police station by the Chairman of the Berger Park and was immediately charged to court before Magistrate Mrs. Kubeinje of Court 4, Ogba, for the offences of attempted murder and assault occasioning harm, contrary to Sections 230 and 173 respectively of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
While assuring the general public that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) would issue the legal advice expeditiously and prosecute the case diligently to serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders and attackers, the Commissioner for Justice reiterated the determination of the state government to put a stop to all attacks on government officials.
