Our Officers Did Not Crush Pregnant Woman To Death – LASTMA

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has denied reports making the rounds on social media that officers of the agency crushed a pregnant woman to death at the Ikeja area of Lagos on Tuesday.

Two X (formerly Twitter) users @SamzyVG and @ToyosiGodwin had tweeted that the women was crushed after a LASTMA Van ran into her while chasing a mini-bus, popularly known as Korope.

The first user @SamzyVG had tweeted: “LASTMA officers reportedly crush pregnant woman to death at Computer Village, Ikeja Lagos.

“A yet to be Identified woman who is said to be pregnant has been crushed to death after a LASTMA Van ran into her during a “Korope” Chase in the early hours of Tuesday 29th August, 2023.”

Similarly, the second user @ToyosiGodwin tweeted: “One woman was killed this morning in computer village. A LASTMA van ran into her. I’m hearing she’s pregnant.”

But reacting Tuesday evening, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, said the story making the rounds online was not what happened.

According to Adebayo, the driver of the mini-bus had upon sighting a LASTMA patrol van in front of a filling station, drove recklessly, leading to the woman falling from the bus.

He informed that the woman was immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where she was treated and has since been discharged.

Adebayo said: “The story as presented by online media was not the true position of what transpired today at MRS Filling Station on Kodesoh road, Ikeja.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that a mini commercial bus (korope) driver upon sighting a LASTMA patrol van in front of MRS Filling Station queuing to fuel up, drove dangerously and a passenger sitting by the door which was not closed fell down from the ‘Korope’ and was immediately rushed to LASUTH for medical treatment due to minor injuries she sustained.

“Investigation further revealed that the woman was not dead as reported but, only sustained minor injuries which has been treated at LASUTH, and was finally discharged.

“The statement that a pregnant woman was crushed to death by a LASTMA Van during a ‘Korope’ chase was not true as she was confirmed not to be pregnant before discharged from LASUTH with her husband.”

The matter, he also informed, has been reported at Area ‘F’ Divisional Police Station for further investigation.