Outrage as police allegedly push motorist off Maryland Bridge in Lagos

Police officers stationed at the Odo Iya Alaro Link Bridge in the Maryland area of Lagos State have been accused of pushing a motorist off the bridge during an altercation over an alleged Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, lane violation.

The allegation surfaced in a video shared by Objectv Media on Facebook on Friday. According to the report, the incident occurred after the officers stopped the motorist for allegedly driving on the designated BRT lane.

The situation reportedly escalated into a heated disagreement over the alleged offence and the associated penalty before the motorist was allegedly pushed from the bridge.

The video showed several police officers engaged in a confrontation with more than 10 young men on the bridge, while another scene captured the alleged victim lying on the ground surrounded by a crowd believed to be sympathisers.

Narrating the incident in Pidgin English, the individual behind the camera alleged that the officers routinely harass motorists over BRT lane violations and demand large sums of money.

“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,” the narrator alleged.

As of the time of filing this report, the identity and condition of the alleged victim could not be independently verified, while it remained unclear whether he survived the incident.

When contacted for a reaction, the Head of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, referred enquiries to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation.

Attempts to obtain comments from the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola, were unsuccessful as telephone calls did not connect, while a text message sent to her had yet to receive a response.

Similarly, efforts to reach the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful. Calls placed to her phone were not answered, and a text message sent to her had not been replied to as of the time this report was filed.