Lawmaker Beats Up Traffic Official For Impounding Wife’s Vehicle

The staff of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) have threatened a showdown with the management over alleged assault on one of their colleagues by a member of the state House of Assembly, Hon Roland Asoro.

The lawmaker representing Orhionmwon South constituency in the Edo House of Assembly was accused by the staff of invading their office with thugs and a police officer to beat up one of their colleagues identified as Osaretin Osazuwa, who impounded his wife’s vehicle for driving against traffic.

The Nation reports that the workers are threatening a showdown with the Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Dennis Oloriegbe, over his alleged silence and inaction while the lawmaker beat up their colleague in his presence and still drove the apprehended vehicle away without paying any fine attached to such act.

The Edo State Civil Society Organisation (EDOSCO) have also demanded the arrest and prosecution of the lawmaker and his wife for beating the EDSTMA staff after violating traffic rules.

A viral video showed the lawmaker’s wife being apprehended by traffic officers but she refused to step out of the car and caused heavy vehicular traffic in the metropolis.

She apparently made a call to her husband and gave the phone to the traffic officers at the scene but they refused to answer the call.

After an argument, she zoomed off with the traffic officer, Osaretin Osazuwa.

A source at EDSTMA office said they were stunned when Hon Asoro stormed their office and demanded to see the officer that apprehended his wife for violating traffic rules.

The source said Osazuwa stepped out and in the presence of their boss, the lawmaker slapped him twice and kicked him in his groin.

He said the action of their boss saying he does not want to annoy anybody in power made all of them angry.

“We would have descended on Asoro and deal with him and his wife. What he did was beastly. This is not the first time his wife will be violating traffic rules. We used to leave her but on that day our boys said it was enough of her.

“He gave the guy two slaps and kicked him. He came with a policeman and two other guys. He beat the boy in the presence of our MD and tore his uniform. His wife also bit the boy on his hand and face.

Another staff said they have resolved to protest against the MD for not protecting one of them.

Spokesman for EDOSCO, Osaze Edigin, said wife of Hon Asoro was not a government official to be driving a vehicle with a government official number plate affixed to it.

Edigin said the body has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the MD of EDSTMA, to publicly show to Edo people receipt of payment in government coffers by the offender or they would begin resistance of further apprehension of Edo people who violate traffic rules by officials of EDSTMA.

He said, “Nobody is above the law, more so, this is coming from the wife of a lawmaker.

“We want to sound it loud and clear to the MD of EDSTMA that, if he fails to fine and prosecute the duo that broke the traffic law and assauted the agency’s official, he should resign from that position as Edo Civil Society Organisations will be approaching the court to compel the agency to enforce the enabling law.

Citizens are being taken to EDSTMA offices helplessly and made to pay fines when they flout traffic laws and regulations, we see no reason the wife of a lawmaker whose husband made same law should be allowed to disobey the law and being aided by her husband with impunity.”

As at press time, Hon Asoro and Oloriegbe could not be reached for comments.