13 employees of Seven-Up company arraigned for assaulting LASMA officials

Thirteen employees of the Seven-up bottling company were yesterday arraigned before a Lagos State Mobile Court for allegedly assaulting officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (task force) arraigned the employees
for assault and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

The 13 employees were identified as: Musa Lawal, Sanni Abdullahi, Okechukwu Amaeze, Dayo Sanusi, James Water, Okunola Femi, Awotoye Afolarin, Ibrahim Umaru, Usbie Stephen, Kelvin Arueyingho, Emmanuel Uche, Salisu Haruna and Jimoh Darihutor.

It was alleged that the workers attacked the officials while they attempted to the towed the company’s truck with number plate MUS 75 XX that broke down around the toll gate area of the state.

The officials allegedly attacked include two towing truck operator, Anozie Peter and Demeji Tonade and Kazim Abayomi, who has been transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

However, according to the Chairman of the agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, the truck which was parked on one side of the road caused traffic obstructions to other motorists which led to the officials towing the truck.

Egbeyemi said, “The prosecution of these 13 arrested workers became imperative to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to attack law enforcement officers in the course of enforcing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu executive order on traffic offenders across the state.

“It was disheartening that officers employed to safeguard members of the public were always being attacked by the same people whose interest were being protected.”

Magistrate Olajuwon Amos, however, adjourned the matter till August 8 for trial.