An unidentified commercial bus driver is reportedly evading authorities after allegedly setting an officer of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) on fire along Sapele Road in Benin, the state capital. The incident occurred after the driver, operating a bus with registration number Osun FFE 145 XA, violated a traffic rule at Adesua junction on Friday and was subsequently apprehended.
According to an EDSTMA officer, the situation escalated when attempts were made to arrest the driver. Upon being directed to take the vehicle to the EDSTMA office, the driver reportedly became violent, stripping himself naked and grabbing a keg of petrol from his vehicle. He allegedly poured the petrol on the traffic officer and set him ablaze.
Despite efforts to contact the EDSTMA spokesperson, Roland Owolabi, no response has been received. However, a video circulating on social media features images of the vehicle involved, with a man suspected to be an EDSTMA official narrating the incident. The official explained that the driver, having committed a traffic offense, resisted arrest and engaged in a physical altercation with enforcement officers. Eventually, he poured petrol on the officer assigned to take the bus to the base and set him on fire.
The injured officer is reported to be receiving treatment in a hospital in Benin City, while the bus driver is currently at large. Authorities are likely conducting investigations to apprehend the suspect and address the serious incident.
