The Lagos State Government is searching for an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) who was caught on camera receiving bribe from a car owner alleged to have committed a traffic offence some days ago.
The officer, Michael Ekundayo, was caught on camera soliciting the bribe while sitting at the passenger’s side of the car. He was seen rejecting an amount handed him by the driver who pleaded that he should be freed since he was rushing to the hospital.
The LASTMA official also reportedly agreed to follow the driver to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for the withdrawal of enough money for the bribe.
The video, which went viral like the case of a policeman caught in similar situation weeks ago, has caused the Lagos State Government serious embarrassment, despite its insistence that officers should not fight motorists or demand bribes from them.
Each year, the government sacks officials of the parastatal found wanting, but this is the first time there would be a video evidence posted on the Internet by a resident of the state.
Speaking on Tuesday at the induction of 250 new special traffic mayors — including Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola declared the officer wanted having been on the run since the incident was exposed.
Fashola said
The governor also disclosed that the state government is having a running battle with the Federal Housing Authority over FESTAC Town and collection of taxes in the area.
“We have unresolved issues with Federal Housing Authority (FHA) concerning FESTAC town. I don’t see the reason why the central government that doesn’t own land in Lagos state should have a housing authority in the same state.
“I know that FHA was created during the military administration. Now in the civilian administration, this is one of the laws that the National Assembly needs to urgently amend, repeal, or bring to conformity with the current dispensation. I don’t know why the central government gets itself involved in the provision of housing when it doesn’t have land”.
Revealing that the state does not get any share of the taxes and land charges collected by the Federal Government, he maintained that the FHA is an anathema to the 1999 constitution.
Meanwhile Fashola has banned skating, a sport that involves running on shoes with tyres, on roads in the state.
“Our young children have taken to skating because the road is safe. We aren’t discouraging them from doing so. But they should do that in designated places like recreation centres, stadia and others”, he said.
“They cannot skate on the high ways. It is the violation of the Traffic Law. I implore all parents to call their children and their wards to order because any child found skating on the high will be arrested and will be brought to justice. It must stop today. Skating on the high way has to stop now. The danger is too much and it is the responsibility of the government to save life”.
