Edo Public Response Safety Team Fires Official Dragging Steering With Driver In Viral Video

The Coordinator of the Edo State Public Response Safety Team, Kelly Okungbowa on Thursday said the official of the agency seen in a viral video dragging the steering with a bus driver in Benin has been sacked.

In a 27-seconds viral video which surfaced online on Thursday, the unnamed official of the safety team was seen trying to stop a vehicle by dragging the steering with the driver.

The passengers in the car were heard begging the driver to stop while also pleading with the PRST official to end dragging the steering with the driver as their lives were in danger.

However, the officer was heard saying that the driver was taking him away.

Okungbowa said that the approach of the officer was wrong while noting that PRST was not the enemies of the drivers.

He said, “First of all, I want 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 deterrent to every member of the Commission.

“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 drivers know where they are supposed to stop, where they don’t have to stop and where to pick passengers and drop them.

“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,” the PRST coordinator said.

He however condemned the action of the driver in taking the sacked officer from his beat to an unknown destination, describing is as self-help.

“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 resulted to self-help but did it in a wrong way, so we condemn his action in all ramification,” Okungbowa said.