An innocent bystander, Oluwadamilare Adesubokan, 28, was crushed to death, yesterday, as city authorities pursued a commercial bus driver along the Oshodi area of the state.
The victim, who was a bricklayer, was en route his workplace in Lekki, when caught in the crosshairs of the pursuit by the officials of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (task force), and the driver.
Two other yet-to-be-identified persons, who reportedly sustained serious injuries during the crash, were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
An eyewitness, Ibikunle Adedeji, said the driver lost control of the vehicle when a yet-to-be-identified informant of the task force dragged the steering with the driver in a bid to stop the vehicle.
He said, “The task force officials were chasing the driver and their informant was dragging the steering with the man when the vehicle rammed the guy (Oluwadamilare). The bus ran into the walkway and also hit a man and an old woman.
“The guy died on the spot, but the other victims were injured; their family members took them to hospitals. After seeing the impact of the accident, the informant and other passengers in the vehicle fled.
“The driver drove off and the task force officials also fled. I saw them in their uniforms inscribed with task force. They abandoned the corpse on the road. The guy’s phone was locked when we reached for it, so we removed his SIM card, inserted it in another phone, bought airtime and called his family members.”
Oluwadamilare’s in-law, Munir Alaka, said his remains had been buried, adding that his mother was relocated due to the shock of the incident.
Alaka said, “He left home around 5.30am and was going to work in Lekki when he was crushed by the bus driver, who was being chased by the task force officials. They were dragging the steering with the driver when Oluwadamilare got hit from behind. Immediately we were informed, we moved down to the place. When I saw his corpse, I almost collapsed.
“We could not immediately inform his mother because of her health; we took her to her younger sister’s place in Ilaje, Bariga, where we broke the news to her. The task force is fond of using force and arms to threaten people. Now, they have ended Oluwadamilare’s life.”
The victim’s elder brother, David, said he was the last child in the family.
“He was searching for his daily bread when he was killed. Blood was still gushing out of his body while we were burying him. Marks of tyres were all over his chest. I have been depressed. I have heard all the bad actions of Lagos task force, and now it has happened to someone close to me,” he added.
Task Force Denies Responsibility for Man’s Death
The Chairman of the Task Force, Shola Jejeloye, denied that his men were involved in the incident.
In a statement he personally signed.
He said, “Early this morning, a commercial bus driver was illegally loading passengers by the roadside in Oshodi and on noticing the presence of a Lagos task force vehicle, took off recklessly at a high speed, knocking down the innocent young man who was trying to cross the Oshodi expressway.
“Despite warnings and enlightenment campaigns about the dangers of violating traffic laws, commercial drivers have continued to flout the law and put the lives of commuters at risk. This violation of the law led to the death that occurred in Oshodi.”
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