Police officers accused of pushing driver off Lagos bridge

Police officers at the Odo Iya Alaro Link Bridge in Maryland, Lagos, are accused of pushing a driver off the bridge. This happened during a fight over claims that the driver was using a Bus Rapid Transit lane.

A video posted by Objectv Media on Facebook on Friday shows the incident. The video suggests the altercation began when officers stopped the vehicle for allegedly breaking BRT lane rules.

Things got heated as the driver and the officers argued over the penalty. The video captures police officers arguing with about 10 young men on the bridge.

The footage also shows the man who was allegedly pushed off the bridge. People around him appear to be sympathisers.

In the video, a narrator spoke in Pidgin English, saying, “All those BRT people who stay at the BRT lane in Maryland have pushed someone from the top of the bridge. This is how they hold motorists all the time and make them withdraw N50,000 or N80,000 as a fine.

“Look at them here. This is how they operate. They will stop vehicles on the BRT lane and impose fines of N80,000 or N100,000. Just because he refused to withdraw money for them, they pushed him off the bridge where everyone else was driving. Look at the person on the ground.

“This is how they stand at Odo Iya Alaro Bridge and harass people, claiming they drove on the BRT lane. They cause traffic and detain people. See what has happened now. While arguing with the man, they pushed him down from the top of the bridge.”

City Round could not confirm if the man was alive or dead when this report was made. The identity of the alleged victim also remains unknown.

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority manages BRT lane enforcement in Lagos. This falls under the Ministry of Transportation.

Last July, the Lagos State Government paused BRT lane enforcement on the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya Alaro area to help with traffic problems.

But in October, the state government announced that enforcement would start again on both bridges.

When City Round reached out, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, Head of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs at LAMATA, directed us to the Ministry of Transportation for comments.

Calls to Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola, the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation, did not go through. A text sent to her for comments also had no response by the time this report was written.

Attempts to contact the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful. His phone calls were not answered and a text message sent to him had no reply as of the time of this report.