LASTMA, 7up workers clash over Ambode

Two officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were reportedly injured following a clash with some workers of 7up Bottling Company Plc

According to reports, the clash which occurred just outside the 7UP end of the Mobolaji Johnson Avenue in Alausa, Ikeja, happened when some trucks belonging to the bottling company obstructed free flow of traffic with the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode among those caught up in the jam.

Trouble reportedly started when the governor ordered traffic officials to clear the logjam with his convoy taking an alternative route causing more traffic to build up.

An eyewitness said; “Everywhere was blocked. The governor’s convoy was forced to look for an alternative road. I later saw a LASTMA official being rushed into an ambulance. He was covered in blood.

“I saw a policeman and asked the cause of the chaos and he explained that some guys blocked the road and the governor ordered LASTMA officials to drive them away from the road. However, in the course of doing that, one of the LASTMA officials was stabbed.”

The incident which also witnessed the arrest of some 7-Up officials was confirmed by Mahmud Hassan, the Public Affairs Officer of LASTMA.

Hassan said, “Workers at the 7UP plant at the old Toll Gate are fond of obstructing the free flow of traffic by parking vehicles on that major road that links the old Toll Gate to the Secretariat Road. We have had meetings with them and warned them, but they failed to heed the warning.

“They did the same thing and four of their trucks were impounded. We had initially instructed them to move the trucks, but they refused and said their vehicles would not leave the road until they finished whatever they were doing. That was when we towed away the trucks.

“In the process of doing that, they launched an attack on our officials and our vehicles. They destroyed some of our vehicles and injured our officers who went for the operation. Nobody was stabbed. While one of our workers was dragged on the tarred road, the other was beaten to a pulp. In the end, three of their workers were arrested.”

Share Don't forget to drop a comment