A Twitter video showing soldiers assaulting a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer created a buzz on Monday morning.

As seen in the video, uniformed soldiers with planks in their hands and covered faces were hitting and kicking the LASTMA official, who was pleading with his beaters while he lay helpless on the ground.

FIJ learned that the assault recorded in the video occurred in the Ojota area of the state. When FIJ’s reporter visited the area on Monday afternoon, sources revealed that the incident happened last Friday.

[9:40AM] @osegemenge: @ManLikeBright Season 2?? @TrafficChiefNG this is Ojota return let of Lastma vs Solider pic.twitter.com/4PG3dbAOpK #TrafficChief

— #LagosTrafficReports (@TrafficChiefNG) August 14, 2023

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When this reporter showed the video to a footwear trader identified as Sunday, he said the incident happened on Friday.

Although Sunday said he was not around when it happened, he told FIJ that the assault was in response to an earlier clash between a LASTMA official and a soldier.

“I was not here when it happened, but I only heard it. It was on Friday. What caused the fight was that LASTMA people beat one of the soldiers before Friday,” said Sunday.

“The soldiers got angry, and they beat this LASTMA officer in retaliation for the former incident. It was not the same LASTMA guy that fought with a soldier that was beaten, but they only beat him because he was an officer,” he added.

‘IF THEY HELD GUNS, THEY COULD HAVE…’

A perfume seller’s account also corroborated Sunday’s statement that the LASTMA officer was beaten in retaliation for the previous attack on a soldier.

The perfume seller, who simply introduced himself as KC, said a soldier was beaten on Tuesday because he attempted to interfere when a LASTMA official stopped the commercial bus he (the soldier) was in.

“A LASTMA officer beat one soldier, I think, on Tuesday. The soldier did not wear his full gear; he was just in his army polo. Before you knew what was happening, a LASTMA guy was fighting with the soldier, and other LASTMA people joined in beating the soldier.

“The soldier was only appealing to the LASTMA guy to let the driver of the bus go, and then that one got angry. And the soldier was beaten.

“What annoyed the soldiers that came on Friday was the fact that the video made it online. People posted it online, and this got them angry. If they had come with guns on Friday, they would have killed people. But they just used sticks.

“I even recorded the video, but I am not with my smartphone at the moment. I would have shown you the video.”

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Other traders and road transport workers approached by FIJ either directed the reporter to another part of Ojota or declined commenting on the grounds that they were not around when the beating happened.

This reporter approached a LASTMA official who was directing the traffic flow around the area, but he refused to speak as he said he was not aware of any fight between soldiers and his agency.

“I don’t know o. I don’t know what is happening,” he said.

Abatta is a reporter with FIJ, in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.