Lagos Court Jails Tricycle Operator for 10 Years as Routine Transport Dispute Turns Deadly
A routine disagreement over passenger loading order in Victoria Island has ended in a decade-long prison sentence, after a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square held a tricycle driver responsible for the death of a colleague during a roadside scuffle.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya convicted 42-year-old Godswill Akpan of involuntary manslaughter, describing the case as a tragic example of how minor clashes at commercial transport points can spiral into fatal violence.
The court ruled that the prosecution had sufficiently proved that Akpan caused the death of 30-year-old Baba Ali Bukar during a June 1, 2019 altercation at the Eko Hotel Roundabout.
Evidence before the court showed that what began as an argument over queue-jumping quickly degenerated into a fistfight between the two transport workers.
According to testimony, Bukar accused Akpan of breaking the loading arrangement after taking a charter passenger to Obalende for N700.
The confrontation escalated until Akpan struck the deceased in the chest with a stone, causing him to collapse and later die in hospital.
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Although no autopsy was conducted after the deceased’s brother objected on religious grounds, the court held that the circumstantial evidence, including Akpan’s inconsistent statements, left no doubt about his responsibility for the fatal blow.
“The prosecution has proved its case,” Justice Adesanya ruled, noting that the defendant attempted to retract aspects of his earlier account of events. “Akpan is guilty of involuntary manslaughter as charged.”
Akpan, arraigned in 2021 on a one-count charge under Section 299 of the Lagos Criminal Law, testified in his own defence but presented no witnesses or exhibits.
The prosecution called one witness, the Investigative Police Officer, and tendered a single exhibit.
During sentencing, Akpan’s lawyer pleaded for mercy, describing him as a first-time offender, remorseful, and the breadwinner of his family. However, the court maintained that the seriousness of the offense warranted a significant punishment, handing down a 10-year custodial sentence.
The case has renewed attention on frequent clashes among commercial transport operators across Lagos, often triggered by disputes over loading spaces, passenger competition, or union tensions, which occasionally turn violent.
