LASG places police under pressure over murder of LASTMA official

There are indications that the police in Lagos, south-west Nigeria have been placed under pressure by the state government to fish out the killers of LASTMA official.

Vicnuel quoted pmnews  as reporting that  an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Surajudeen Olatunji Bakare who was brutally killed by irate mob in Apapa on December 15, 2016.

Credible sources in the State Ministry of Justice confirmed on Thursday that the government has already written to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni demanding the arrest of the culprits.

The letter was said to have been written following the failure of the police to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act despite the fact that the video had already gone viral on the internet with faces of the culprits.

Bakare, a level 14 officer, was said to have been attacked by the irate mob who removed his two eyes and stabbed him after which he was stoned to death.

A source who does not want to be named confirmed the existence of the letter, saying that it was dated December 28, 2016 and written by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem.

According to the letter which was obtained by our Correspondent on Thursday, Kazeem said it was important for the police to promptly fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and turn them in to face necessary legal action.

Kazeem said: “The late Bakare was a LASTMA official who was in Apapa area of the State executing his lawful duties and it was in exercising this duty that he was attacked and murdered by persons that have apparently been visually recorded and same circulated on social media.

“This is a crime that is clearly an affront to civilization and the sustenance of law and order which the administration of His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has sworn to uphold.

“The Lagos State Government demands that the perpetrators of this dastardly crime be arrested, investigated and the case file promptly sent to this office for Legal Advice,” Kazeem said.

He added that his office, as usual, would be available to provide any assistance required by the police, but requested that the matter be treated with the urgency that it demands.