LASG Disburses ₦40m to Families of Fallen LASTMA Officers

LASG Disburses ₦40m to Families of Fallen LASTMA Officers

The Lagos State Government has disbursed a total of ₦40 million as financial support to families and dependants of fallen officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in recognition of their sacrifices while serving in the line of duty.

The presentation ceremony, organised by LASTMA and coordinated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, was held at the LASTMA Headquarters in Oshodi. Twenty families of deceased officers received ₦2 million each as consolatory assistance.

The event was attended by key government officials, including the wife of the pioneer General Manager of LASTMA, Mrs. Angela Coker; the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation and Education, Mr. Tobi Idowu; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa; and other stakeholders.

Welcoming guests and the families of the fallen officers, the LASTMA General Manager described the ceremony as more than a routine event, calling it a moment of reflection, remembrance, and solemn tribute.

“We are gathered with deep respect and humility to honour officers who paid the ultimate price in the service of Lagos State. We stand in solidarity with the families they left behind, acknowledging their pain, strength, and resilience,” Bakare-Oki said.

He reaffirmed LASTMA’s responsibility as an agency entrusted with traffic management and road safety, noting that supporting families of fallen officers remains a moral and institutional obligation.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa, said the officers made immense sacrifices for Lagos State and its people, having died while in active service. He stressed that while no amount of money can replace lost lives, the support demonstrates that their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Sola Giwa disclosed that the ₦2 million support per family fulfilled a promise made by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu during LASTMA’s 25th anniversary, a commitment conveyed by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, after engaging with officers on the hazards and challenges of traffic management.

Hon. Giwa emphasised that the gesture should not be viewed as compensation for loss, but as a symbolic and tangible recognition of duty, courage, and ultimate sacrifice.

“The Lagos State Government remains resolute in ensuring that the memories of these heroes and heroines endure, and that their families are never left to bear the burden of loss alone,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs. Angela Coker, wife of the pioneer General Manager of LASTMA, encouraged the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the funds for the welfare and education of their children, whom she described as the enduring legacies of the fallen officers.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Adeyemo Rotimi, representing his late brother who was killed while on duty at Iyana, expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government and LASTMA for the support, noting that while no amount of money equals the value of human life, the gesture reflects state recognition of sacrifice and service.

The ceremony reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to the welfare of public servants and the families they leave behind, while honouring officers who paid the ultimate price in the course of duty.