In a tragic turn of events, a commercial bus driver in Lagos set himself and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials ablaze in a shocking confrontation on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
The incident happened in the Cele-Mile 2 area of Lagos, where the driver, attempting to escape arrest, took desperate and dangerous measures.
According to witnesses, the dramatic scene began when LASTMA officials pulled the bus driver over for a traffic violation.
A widely shared video shows the yellow Lagos city bus, parked precariously on the road, with at least eight LASTMA officers surrounding it.
An argument broke out between the driver and the officers, drawing the attention of bystanders.
In a flash, flames erupted, engulfing the bus and some of the officers in fire.
Panicked bystanders watched as a man, believed to be the driver, emerged from the inferno, struggling to pull off his burning white singlet.
In his agony, he stumbled into the middle of the road, narrowly avoiding a passing petrol tanker.
The chaos quickly drew widespread attention on social media, with many Nigerians expressing shock and outrage at the video.
Adebayo Taofiq, Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department at LASTMA, confirmed the incident, describing it as “disturbing and deeply alarming.”
In an official statement, LASTMA shared further details about the tragic incident.
“The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has been made aware of a distressing video showing the driver of a Volkswagen T4 commercial bus, license plate LSD 355 CK, setting both his vehicle and LASTMA officers ablaze in a brazen attempt to evade arrest,” the statement read.
According to LASTMA, the altercation occurred when officers intercepted the driver for allegedly violating traffic rules.
“The vehicle had been intercepted for violating traffic regulations in the Cele inward Mile 2 area,” Taofiq said, explaining that the driver and his conductor resisted arrest “with extreme aggression.”
LASTMA noted that during the encounter, the driver allegedly poured petrol on himself and the officers in a desperate move to escape.
“In the course of arrest, the driver and his conductor erupted into a frenzy, resorting to pouring petrol on LASTMA personnel and engaging in hostile confrontations and physical attacks against officers present,” LASTMA’s statement added.
The agency confirmed that one of its officers sustained severe burns in the incident and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“The injured LASTMA officer, who sustained severe burns, was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment,” LASTMA stated, emphasizing the severity of the attack.
This isn’t the first time a Lagos driver has taken extreme measures in protest against traffic officials.
In 2022, a commercial bus driver in Ajao Estate reportedly set himself on fire to protest the seizure of his bus by LASTMA.
According to witnesses at the time, the driver poured petrol on himself after LASTMA officials attempted to impound his bus, sparking outrage among other commercial drivers and pedestrians.
The 2022 incident quickly escalated, with bystanders and other bus drivers throwing stones at LASTMA officials, resulting in a chaotic scene.
