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Protesting Lagos driver sets self ablaze after bus was seized by taskforce officers

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driver sets self ablaze

 

There was pandemonium on Tuesday at Ajao Estate area of Lagos when a bus driver set himself on fire to prevent officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) from impounding his vehicle.

According to reports, the driver was arrested for allegedly violating the state traffic laws.

Witnesses said while the driver was trying to see how he could remedy the situation by begging the traffic officers, one of them forcefully took over the steering wheel from him.

Noticing what was about to happen to him, the commercial bus driver grabbed a Jerry can filled with petrol that was in the bus and emptied its content on himself.

He was said to have brought out a lighter from his pocket and set himself ablaze.

Some of the witnesses said that they heard the driver saying that it was better to die than to live and watch his only means of livelihood taken away from him.

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On seeing what was happening to their colleague, other drivers sympathetic to his course converged and started pelting the LASTMA officials with stones.

Soon the drivers were joined by urchins also known as area boys to attack the state government officials.

Other drivers parked their buses and tried to put out the fire on the burning man.

A driver who pleaded anonimty said the situation caused heavy traffic and pandemonium as motorists abandoned their vehicles while commuters scampered for safety.

He said that the driver was rushed to the hospital,” but I don’t think he will survive the burns. The damage done on him was colossal.”

Another driver simply identified as Wadada, said the LATSMA officials were treating them like slaves.

“They arrest us at any slightest mistake. As they are chasing us like cats pursuing mice, so also motor touts and local government officials chasing us up and down. They extort us without mercy.”

See also  Driver, 2 others arrested for diverting company’s goods worth N4.7m

A witness, who identified herself simply as Kudirat, said the driver took the drastic decision because he got the bus on higher purchase.

Speaking on the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had ordered an investigation into the incident.

He said, “The information we got was that there was resistance when task force from the ministry of transportation went for enforcement. No policeman set any vehicle ablaze; policemen attached to the Ajao Estate Police Division were not involved in what happened. However, the Commissioner of Police has ordered investigation into the incident.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit, Raheem Gbadeyinka, said no officer of the agency was involved in the operation.

He said, “The incident happened around 5am and as of 8am, our men were still at the office because we were looking for fuel for our patrol vans as of that time.”

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Nigerian arrested over alleged sex crimes in US, faces deportation

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A 53-year-old Nigerian, Olatunde Olusanjo, has been arrested in Los Angeles by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over alleged sexual offences.

According to ICE, Olusanjo was arrested on April 21, 2026, by its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit and is currently in its custody pending deportation proceedings.

In a social media post by its Los Angeles office, the agency linked his arrest to prior criminal allegations, including child molestation, sexual battery and sexual solicitation.

It described Olusanjo as a “criminal alien and convicted sex offender”.

“Los Angeles ERO arrested Olatunde Abiodun Olusanjo, 53, of Nigeria, Apr. 21,” the statement reads.

“Olusanjo has previous arrests for child molestation, sexual battery and soliciting lewd conduct. He is in ICE custody pending removal.”

The arrest comes amid continued enforcement actions by US  authorities against foreign nationals with prior criminal records.

In recent years, several Nigerians have been arrested and prosecuted in the US for offences ranging from cybercrime to violent and sexual-related charges.

See also  Driver escapes death as container-laden truck falls on car in Lagos

In February, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had arrested 79 Nigerians described as among the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders.

The suspects faced allegations ranging from sexual assault, fraud, manslaughter, cocaine smuggling, kidnapping, and robbery.

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Thai Police find N67m, cocaine in Nigerian suspect’s home

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Operatives of the Thailand Police have arrested Nigerian national, Nwaiwu Ifeanyi, following the discovery of approximately 1.5 million baht (over N67 million) hidden in the ceiling of his bathroom during a late-night raid.

The operation, carried out over the weekend, also led to the arrest of three other individuals believed to be connected to the same drug distribution network.

Authorities reportedly recovered cocaine, cash, a vehicle, and valuable jewellery during the raid.

According to details from Khaosod English, investigators had been monitoring the suspect’s activities before apprehending him near Silom Soi 1. At the point of arrest, officers allegedly found about 27 grams of cocaine in his possession.

The other suspects taken into custody include a Swiss national, Thomas Giubibini, alongside two Thai nationals identified as Thanayot Asawamethi and Nattawat Wangkitjinda. All are facing charges related to drug possession.

In total, authorities said they seized roughly 30 grams of cocaine, cash amounting to 1.5 million baht, additional foreign currency worth about 15,000 baht, and jewellery estimated at 400,000 baht.

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Investigators disclosed that Ifeanyi had lived in Thailand for over 17 years under a family visa obtained through a Thai spouse. However, officials now suspect the marriage may have been arranged to facilitate his stay and operations.

Police further alleged that the suspect coordinated drug transactions through encrypted messaging platforms, which officers were able to infiltrate before making the arrests. He reportedly resisted arrest but was subdued, after which he is said to have admitted involvement in the illicit activities.

The arrest comes amid ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to clamp down on drug trafficking networks. It also follows a recent case involving another Nigerian, Ukoma Nuzbech, who was earlier arrested for allegedly evading trial in a separate drug-related case.

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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound Cocaine, Loud concealed in food flasks, snacks

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks bound for the United Kingdom.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the interception took place on April 9, 2026, leading to the arrest of two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39.

The agency disclosed that 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were discovered hidden in the false bottom of food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

The illicit consignment was scheduled for shipment via a Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK.

Further investigations identified the sender as a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was subsequently apprehended.

In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA officers on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack food packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.

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Two clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested, while the consignee, 29-year-old fashion designer Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, was later nabbed at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.

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