Speeding Driver Hits LASTMA Official Into Lagoon

A driver, who was over speeding hit an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on the Third Mainland Bridge. Kehinde Sonaike, a Senior Traffic Law Enforcement Officer from Zone 11, landed inside the lagoon.

He was rescued by four fishermen. The incident occurred around 11am near Adekunle. The driver, sensing the gravity of his action, ran away with his vehicle.

The Nation learnt that Sonaike was assisting a motorist, whose sport utility vehicle (SUV), broke down before he was hit.

The LASTMA car 058 with number plate RTM 165 LA was damaged in the process. The windscreen shattered, the driver’s and passenger’s sides behind the driver were damaged.

Sonaike was rushed to Gbagada General Hospital, Gbagada where he was stabilised. He was later taken to LASTMA Clinic in Oshodi.

The officer told The Nation that he was going to Adekunle from Iyana-Oworonsoki on patrol when he saw a man with his broken down vehicle.

Sonaike said: “Our jobs include assisting people with broken down vehicles to get it to work or call a towing vehicle from our nearest office to help move those vehicles off the road so as to avoid traffic gridlock.

“But, on my way, I saw a broken down vehicle, I came down from the vehicle and put on my hazard light so that I can assist the driver. As I was assisting the man, a vehicle came and bashed the LASTMA car from the rear, hit me in the process and the next thing I saw was that I fell off from the Third Mainland Bridge into the lagoon. I can swim a little, but the fishermen now came for my rescue. They are about four in number.”

The Traffic Law Enforcement Officer said that was his first experience of such incident.

“I have heard many sad stories of how our men were knocked down by hit-and-run drivers but that was my first experience. I can only give glory to God that I’m alive,” he said.

He said he thought he could not survive the incident before help came his way from the fishermen.

He said: “That moment I fell into the lagoon. I felt is this the end of this life because I told my Mum when leaving home in the morning that I will be back but immediately that incident happened I didn’t know what to say again. While I was swimming in that lagoon, what came to my mind that time was that this is the end of life . But, with the little swimming experience I had, I was able to do a little thing before the fishermen men came to my rescue.”

LASTMA General Manager Olawale Musa decried the action of the driver. According to him, if not for God that made the fishermen rescue Sonaike, the agency would be in another mourning mood by now.

He said the injured official is responding to treatment. He advised drivers to be cautious on the road.