A yet-to-be-identified commercial bus driver set some Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials ablaze in the Mile 2 area of the state on Tuesday.

A yellow-coloured 14-passenger city bus is parked almost in the middle of the road with at least 8 traffic officers clustered in front of it while involved in an argument with the driver, footage of the incident shows.

In a twinkle of an eye, fire erupted and caught the traffic managers unaware. Not all of them were lucky to escape unhurt.

It is the latest show of defiance from drivers who have long complained about extortion by state officials on Lagos roads.

UNDERCOVER: From Ikeja to Lekki, LASTMA Officials Operate Like a Criminal Gang

A man suspected to be the driver is caught in the fire too. He runs into the middle of the road, struggling to pull off his white singlet. In the process, he is almost hit by a petrol tanker.

When contacted, Adebayo Taofiq, the director of the public affairs and enlightenment department at LASTMA, confirmed the incident. He sent a copy of the agency’s response to FIJ.

One of the officers got some burns on his hand from the attack.

“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 in part.

“This shocking event transpired today, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, when the driver resisted arrest with extreme aggression by LASTMA officials. The vehicle had been intercepted for violating traffic regulations in the Cele inward Mile 2 area.

“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 added that the injured officer was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

“The injured LASTMA officer, who sustained severe burns, was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment,” the agency stated.

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Commercial bus drivers are not new to clashes with LASTMA and the Lagos state traffic officials.

FIJ has previously reported drivers’ plight with regard to extortion and abuse of power by state officials. Some drivers resort to extreme measures to avoid arrests and subsequent extortion.

In 2021, an FIJ undercover investigation detailed how LASTMA officials operated like a criminal gang, more interested in extorting motorists than ensuring free flow of traffic, maintaining traffic order, or helping people in life-threatening situations escape danger.