LASTMA Denies Involvement In Truck Accident That Crushed 17 Students To Death In Lagos

The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency denies involvement in truck accident that claimed 17 lives in Lagos on Tuesday.

The road Traffic Management Agency denies allegations of chasing the truck that crushed the students to death in Ojodu, Lagos.

LASTMA advised media to refrain from rushing to the press with unsubstantiated reports, all in a bid to be the first to break the news.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) on Wednesday denied the reports from various media houses that the truck which killed no fewer than 17 students and left many injured was being chased by its officials.

Earlier reports allege that the truck crashed into pupils of Ojodu Berger Grammar School who were returning from school after the driver lost control while attempting to escape from LASTMA officials.

But in a statement issued on Wednesday by the General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, the agency boss, while commiserating with the families of the deceased, advised that the media to refrain from rushing to the press with unsubstantiated reports, all in a bid to be the first to break the news.

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Part of the statement, titled ‘LASTMA disowns involvement in Ojodu truck accident – General Manager’, reads in part :

“From the reports we received on the incident, the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle, probably because of mechanical reasons. The police are investigating the matter; the public should await their report.

“LASTMA does not have a traffic management duty post around the accident scene. And all patrol personnel had reported back to base for daily parade as at the time the accident occurred leaving only those at their traffic management posts.”

Oreagba added that in various unconfirmed reports in some media, not only LASTMA as an agency was fingered but some other government traffic control agencies. He wondered how all these traffic control agencies would be in pursuit of one truck, when the truck could be apprehended at a later date.

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