Outrage over lawmaker’s assault of traffic officer

Staff of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) are threatening a showdown with the Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Dennis Oloriegbe, over the assault of one of them by the lawmaker representing Orhionmwon South constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Roland Asoro.

The angst of the staff is that their boss stood helpless as the lawmaker beat up their staff identified as Osaretin Osazuwa and still drove the apprehended vehicle away without any fine.

Also, members of the Edo State Civil Society Organisation (EDOSCO) have demanded arrest and prosecution of the lawmaker and his wife for beating EDSTMA staff after violating traffic rules.

A viral video showed the lawmaker’s wife being apprehended by traffic officers but she refused to step out of the car and caused heavy vehicular traffic

She apparently made a call to her husband and gave the phone to the traffic officers at the scene but they refused to answer the call.

After an argument, she zoomed off with the traffic officer, Osaretin Osazuwa.

A source at EDSTMA office said they were stunned when Hon Asoro stormed their office and demanded to see the officer that apprehended his wife for violating traffic rules.

The source said Osazuwa stepped out and in the presence of their boss, the lawmaker slapped him twice and kicked him in his groin.

He said the action of their boss saying he does not want to annoy anybody in power made all of them angry.

“We would have descended on Asoro and dealt with him and his wife. What he did was beastly. This is not the first time his wife will be violating traffic rules. We used to leave her but on that day our boys said it was enough of her.

“He gave the guy two slaps and kicked him. He came with a policeman and two other guys. He beat the boy in the presence of our MD and tore his uniform. His wife used her teach to bite the boy on his hand and face.

Another staff said they have resolved to protest against the MD for not protecting one of them.

Spokesman for EDOSCO, Osaze Edigin, said wife of Hon Asoro was not a government official to be driving a vehicle with a government official number plate affixed to it.

Edigin said the body has a 48-House ultimatum to the MD of EDSTMA, to publicly show to Edo people receipt of payment in government coffers by the offender or they would begin resistance of further apprehension of Edo people who violates traffic rules by officials of EDSTMA.

He said, “Nobody is above the law, more so, this is coming from the wife of a lawmaker.

“We want to sound it loud and clear to the MD of EDSTMA that, if he fails to fine and prosecute the duo that broke the traffic law and assauted the agency’s official, he should resign from that position as Edo Civil Society Organisations will be approaching the court to compel the agency to enforce the enabling law.

Citizens are being taken to EDSTMA offices helplessly and made to pay fines when they flout traffic laws and regulations, we see no reason the wife of a lawmaker whose husband made same law should be allowed to disobey the law and being aided by her husband with impunity.”

As at press time, Hon Asoro and Oloriegbe could not be reached for comments.