• LASTMA arrests suspected ritualist with used diapers
A yet to be identified man was yesterday killed and two other persons injured in an accident at Mosalashi Bus stop, Iyana-Ipaja, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has said.
The accident, according to LASTMA’s spokesman, Taofiq Adrbayo, involved three vehicles- commercial bus with registration number FKJ88XH, a tricycle marked KJA369QM and a saloon car with number KJA351HG.
He said the crash was caused by excessive speed on the part of the saloon car which led to the driver losing control of his vehicle and ramming into the tricycle from the rear.
The impact of the hit, he said, caused the tricycle to lose balance and consequently, obstructed the fully loaded commercial bus which was moving inwards Iyana-Ipaja.
Adebayo said the deceased and two injured were all passengers of the tricycle, adding that the man died while being moved to the hospital by his relatives.
He said the rescue team, which was led by Akanji Wasiu, also arrested the fourth passenger in the tricycle suspected to be a ritualist.
According to Adebayo, the unnamed passenger was found with over 100 used baby diapers and a huge sum of money in different denominations which raised suspicion.
He said the rescue team handed the man over to the police at Gowon Estate, Ipaja, for interrogation, adding that all vehicles involved in the accident were cleared off the road to allow free flow of traffic.
“The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, described the crash as ‘man-made’ accident which could have been prevented if over-speeding was avoided.
But the police dismissed claims that the man was a suspected ritualist, clarifying that the about 30 pieces of used diapers found with him were for disposal.
Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin told The Nation that preliminary investigation showed that the man carried the used diapers from his home to dispose of them on his way to work, adding that his wife who visited the station with their child corroborated his story.
He said the diaper the child was wearing was the same brand as the ones found with the man, adding that the family stated that they usually kept the used diapers to a sizable quantity before he disposes of them on his way to work.
Hundeyin also added that the man was a butcher and the N500,000 found on him was money given to him by his colleagues for safe keeping. He said some of the butchers were also at the station to attest to that fact.