A video depicting an official of the Edo State Public Response Safety Team (PRST) grappling with a bus driver to take over the steering wheel has appeared on social media.
In the footage, passengers can be heard begging the PRST official to halt the moving vehicle while the official forcefully struggles to take over the steering wheel from the bus driver. However, PRST coordinator Kelly Okungbowa said in a statement on Thursday that the official responsible for the event was fired.
Okungbowa expressed regret for the official’s actions and claimed to have been released of his obligation to act as a warning to others.
“First of all, I want to apologise to the general public for the conduct of our officer in that viral video. There is no perfect society, and the person that erred in that video has been sacked to serve as a deterrent to every member of the commission,” the statement reads.
“I wish to tell the drivers that we are not their enemies, but their friends. Ours is to make sure that we do what is right by ensuring that there is order in Edo state, most especially in Benin City.”
The PRST coordinator condemned the driver for taking the official to an unknown destination, causing him to resort to “self-help” during the incident.
He task members of the public to report any erring officer, noting that anyone found culpable will be dealt with by the commission.
“The drivers know where they are supposed to stop, where they don’t have to stop, and where to pick up passengers and drop them off,” Okungbowa said.
“We are tired of having this conflict with the drivers every time. I have been doing this job with the officers here during the previous administration.”
“I am appealing to the public to report any erring officer to the commission. I can’t be everywhere at the same time, but I assure anyone found wanting that he or she will be dealt with.”
“Going by what transpired on Wednesday, nobody is talking about the wrong done by the driver. He took the officer from his beat to an unknown destination.”
“He resorted to self-help but did it in a wrong way, so we condemn his action in all ramifications.”
