A journalist and lawyer, Mr. Osa Director has petitioned the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) over the “ambush, illegal arrest and detention of my SUV vehicle”.
In a petition, addressed to the agency’s General Manager and dated 25th August, Director demanded the return of his impounded vehicle and the valuables and money inside it, which included $1,700, a Samsung phone and an expired travelling passport belonging to his wife.
Director, a founding director of the defunct Insider magazine, said his vehicle was alleged to have been involved in double parking the previous day at God is Good Motors, (GIGM) park at Iyana Ipaja whereas a GIGM vehicle blocked the designated space for parking.
He said he had just gone out of his vehicle to sort out the confusion created by the GIGM vehicle when the LASTMA officials, instead of clearing the confusion, decided to exploit the situation to their advantage.
The petition read: “I wish to bring to your attention the outright ambush, illegal arrest and detention of my SUV vehicle, Ford Edge with registration number KSF 47GJ in a most undignified manner by LASTMA officials and policemen attached to the transport management outfit in Lagos State.
“On Thursday, 24th August, 2023, I was driven to the park of ‘God Is Good Motors’, GIGM, at Iyana Ipaja, by my mechanic who was to take the car for repairs thereafter. I was booked to leave for Benin City by GIGM at 7.30a.m.
“Sadly, when we arrived at the park, two GIGM vehicles were on the designated lanes reserved for parking on the roadside.
“Another GIGM motor was parked beside, thereby creating double parking. On sighting such, I disembarked from the vehicle parked behind the two GIGM vehicles on the proper parking lot, which was quite a distance and entry point of the adjourning compound to GIGM.
“But to my surprise, as my mechanic who never came down from the car as the ignition was on, made to move away, we saw the GIGM driver on the double parking lane rush into his car, and accelerated.
“In the process, he blocked my driver who was negotiating to enter the road.
“In a gestapo fashion, two policemen and two LASTMA officials dashed out from beside the GIGM vehicle and blocked my car from exiting.
“When I turned and approached the Police officer who led the team to ask why they obstructed my vehicle’s right of way, he said that the car was under arrest for double parking.
“While not admitting to his allegations, I said if that was even true, why did the officers not arrest the GIGM vehicle that was in front.
“He replied: ‘I didn’t see that one, this is the vehicle I saw’.
“Shockingly, in a bid to fish for evidence, they only started videoing the vehicle after the departure of the GIGM vehicle that was in front, which they apparently used in blocking my vehicle to effect the arrest.
“More shocking was their decision to yank off the person who drove me from the steering wheel. They zoomed off with the vehicle to an unknown destination with all the valuables and money inside it.
“The valuables and money inside the vehicle include the sum of $1,700 (One Thousand Seven Hundred dollars), a Samsung phone and an expired travelling passport belonging to my wife.
“Since I didn’t know where they took the vehicle to, I decided to proceed on my journey to Benin City while the mechanic/driver was directed to go to Alausa. He was at Alausa and Anifowoshe, in Ikeja, before he eventually located the vehicle at Agege office of LASTMA.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that their action was barbaric and antediluvian in this modern age of technology to physically ambush a vehicle and drive it to an unknown destination.
“I, therefore, urge you to use your good offices to release my vehicle and ensure that the above stated valuables and money are intact inside the vehicle.
“Thanks for your anticipated cooperation and understanding”.
