An unidentified middle-aged man, purported committed suicide on Thursday, by hanging himself by the gate of an Estate along Lagos-Shagamu Expreeway, Lagos.
However, rumours circulating on Social Media insinuating that the deceased’s committed suicide when his tricycle was impounded by officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.
In a swift reaction by the General Manager, LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, in a statement on Friday, debunked the reports, saying the agency was not responsible for the death of the man.
The statement read in part, “The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, wishes to debunk in no equivocal terms that its operatives are not responsible for the dead body found hanging by the gate of an Estate along Lagos – Shagamu Expreeway, Lagos
“LASTMA hereby debunk rumours circulating on Social Media insinuating that the deceased’s vehicle was impounded by officers of the agency.
“The body was discovered early hour of yesterday (Thursday, 11th of July, 2004) by passersby and was immediately reported to the police at Shagamu Road.
“Several speculations were made by sympathisers present at the scene. “Some said he was dressed like a motorcyclist (Okada rider),while some speculated he was a tricyclist (Marwa rider).
“Some even believed he was brought to the scene by his killers during the wee hours of midnight, and stage managed it to give it the semblance of suicide, because the victim’s leg was touching ground.
“For brevity, no one could really identify him as either an Okada or Marwa rider from amongst several operators of Okada and Marwa who visited the scene.
“It is unfortunate that the incident occurred by an Estate gate along Lagos -Shagamu Expressway,” Bakare-Oki said.
While expressing sympathy to the deceased’s family, the General Manager warned those spreading unfounded reports to verify information before disseminating it.
Bakare-Oki, therefore, urged the public, especially motorists, to seek clarification on any traffic information through the Agency’s newly commissioned toll-free call center (080000527862)
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased was evacuated by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), Yaba, Lagos.
