LASTMA Officer Discharged After Surgery Following Ojota Assault

An officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been discharged from hospital after undergoing surgery for injuries sustained during a violent altercation at the Ojota Interchange.

Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, confirmed that the officer required emergency surgery after being stabbed in the hand while on routine enforcement duty along the busy Ojota–Ketu corridor.

According to the agency, the incident began when officers stopped a painted Caravelle GL Volkswagen commercial bus, registration number EKY 693 YK, for allegedly operating with its passenger door open while fully loaded with commuters. Officials described the situation as dangerous to both passengers and other road users.

What was meant to be a routine stop reportedly escalated quickly.

The driver allegedly resisted arrest and attempted to flee by mounting the road median. His escape failed when the vehicle became stuck. During the confrontation that followed, the motorist was said to have grabbed a broken bottle from inside the bus and attacked the officers.

“In a shocking display of brutality, he seized a jagged broken bottle from within the bus and lunged at the enforcement officers, stabbing one officer in the fingers,” the agency had earlier stated.

The injured officer was rushed to hospital, where surgeons operated on two fingers of his left hand. Taofiq confirmed he has since been discharged.

The suspect, however, remains at large. According to LASTMA, the driver fled the scene, abandoning the commercial bus, which is now in the agency’s custody as investigations continue.

General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condemned the attack, describing it as an assault on lawful authority and civil order. He noted that the police have been informed and that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing driver.

The agency reiterated its commitment to enforcing traffic regulations across Lagos State and warned commercial operators against violating traffic laws or engaging in violence against enforcement personnel.

It is easy for routine traffic stops to feel like minor inconveniences. Most people grumble, comply, and move on. But when enforcement turns violent, it changes the tone entirely. Two injured fingers might sound small on paper, yet it is a stark reminder of how quickly everyday duties can spiral into something far more serious.