VIDEO: Task force official wrestles steering wheel with driver in Edo

A video showing an official of the Edo state Public Response Safety Team (PRST) wrestling with a bus driver to take over the steering wheel has surfaced on social media.

In the video, the PRST official is seen violently struggling to take over the steering wheel of a moving vehicle from a bus driver, as passengers were heard pleading with them to bring the vehicle to a stop.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Kelly Okungbowa, the coordinator of PRST, said the official involved in the incident has been sacked.

Okungbowa, who apologised for the conduct of the official, said he was relieved of his duty to serve as a deterrent 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 urged 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.”