Edo traffic officials arrested for manslaughter

By OLALEKAN BADMOS
Two officials of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) have been arrested by the state police command for allegedly killing the transport manager of a Benin-based distribution company, Godfrey Imobhio.

Godfrey was allegedly hit against a truck of his company by a towing van believed to be driven by an official of the agency and died instantly.

The state Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, confirmed the arrest to journalists, adding that the police have since commenced investigation into the case.

Also speaking on the development, Managing Director of the distribution company, Donald Omorogbe, explained that Godfrey was called to the scene where he met his untimely death when one of the company's trucks developed fault at the Five Junction area of Benin.

According to him, the late transport manager, alongside invited traffic police officers and officials of EDSTMA, were offloading the content of the broken down vehicle to another to be able pull the truck off road since it was causing obstruction where it was.

Omorogbe further explained that soon after completing offloading, the head of the EDSTMA at the Okhoro area of Benin, Nosa Aideyan, arrived the scene with a towing van and insisted on towing the vehicle.

He said it was in the process of positioning the towing vehicle that the EDSTMA driver hit the late Godfrey who was standing behind the truck with the towing van, while the police DTO, who was standing next to Godfrey, only managed to escape.

The late Godfrey was confirmed dead at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he was rushed to for medical attention.