An unidentified commercial bus driver is reportedly evading authorities after allegedly committing a heinous act along Sapele Road in Benin, the capital of Edo State.
The driver, operating a bus with the registration number Osun FFE 145 XA, had violated a traffic rule at Adesua junction, leading to his arrest by officers of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA).
According to reports, the situation escalated when the driver became aggressive during the arrest attempt.
Subsequently, a traffic officer was instructed to take the bus to the EDSTMA office.
Shockingly, the driver, in a sudden turn of violence, stripped himself naked, procured a keg of petrol from his vehicle, doused the EDSTMA official with the flammable liquid, and callously set him ablaze.
Efforts to contact the spokesperson of the EDSTMA, Roland Owolabi, proved unsuccessful.
However, a video circulating on social media includes images of the vehicle involved, and a man, purportedly an EDSTMA official, narrating the incident.
He explained that the driver, having resisted arrest and engaged in physical altercations, resorted to the horrifying act of setting the officer on fire.
As of now, the injured EDSTMA officer is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Benin City.
The whereabouts of the assailant remain unknown, as he is reportedly on the run.
This shocking incident underscores the risks and challenges faced by traffic management authorities in ensuring public safety and enforcing regulations.