Man allegedly hits LAWMA worker with hammer
A service provider with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority LAWMA has reportedly been rushed to the hospital after being allegedly hit with a hammer by a man.
He was rushed to the hospital after sustaining injuries from the aggression.
The incident happened on Tuesday morning when the victim was exercising his official duty at Isolo Road, adjacent to Mushin Local Government office, behind Zone D Police Station, Mushin, Lagos.
A resident, Mr Lasisi Lukman who was at the scene when the incident occurred said the service provider was in the midst of his colleagues to perform his duties, when a resident picked a fight with one of them for failure to collect his refuse.
He said the service providers in an attempt to settle the matter told the man to tender evidence of payment which he failed to do and they insisted that his refusal would not be tolerated.
He said the man, in anger, proceeded inside his room, came out and decided to hit one of the service providers with a hammer.
“We thought he wanted to bring money but it was a hammer which he hit the PSP operator with. Immediately, blood started gushing out of the victim’s nostrils and mouth.
“His colleagues and residents rallied around and rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), for brain diagnosis.
“The suspect was later apprehended by sympathisers but his friends wanted to stylishly rescue him. This was resisted and he was taken to Zone D Division for proper investigations.
The National Spokesperson, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Olugbenga Adebola, said the information about the incident has not been brought to his awareness but he promised to find out.
“This is very unfortunate, though I am just hearing this from you. It will be most unfortunate for anybody to hit an essential service provider who comes to your premises to evacuate your waste to prevent the outbreak of diseases and epidemics to be so treated. A PSP Operator in any part of Lagos is a representative of the government legally backed up and empowered to collect waste from the tenements in the state and transport the same to a government-approved disposal site.
“Anyone that fights or hits such an organisation or its agents is directly or indirectly hitting or fighting the government. The laws of the state will always take their course.
“Meanwhile, I want to use this opportunity to admonish PSP Operators to report such condemnable acts to the nearest Police Station, the LGAs/LCDAs or to the Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences or the LAGESC aka KAI offices.
“This is the reason the Association in conjunction with LAWMA organised a one day Stakeholders Engagement on enhancing the enforcement of all Environmental laws of Lagos recently.
The Spokesperson of Police Command in the state, SP Benjamin Hundeyin promised to get back to newsmen.
