SARS Shoots LASTMA Officer Dead

An officer of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Wednesday allegedly shot dead an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) dead at Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 6pm.

The LASTMA official was said to have flagged the SARS officer down for traffic issue.

The officer, it was learnt, got down and warned the traffic official never to stop him again, adding that he did not have right to do so.

In the course of exchanging hot words, the angry officer returned to his car, brought out a gun and shot the traffic official dead.

Many people ran for safety after hearing the sound of the gun. The officer, who whose identity was yet to be ascertained, was said to have been arrested.

The Nation quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the officer drove a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The alleged killer was first taken to Moshalashi Police Station along Ipaja Road before being transferred to State Command in Ikeja GRA.

The traffic official was rushed to Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.

His remains had been deposited in a mortuary in Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

LASTMA Public Relations Officer, Mahmud Hassan confirmed the incident.

Hassan said investigation was ongoing and that the identity of the deceased LASTMA officer and the culprit would be made known later.