'Yellow Fever' removes driver's teeth over N50 bribe

A traffic warden, popularly called 'Yellow Fever', identified as Sunday Charles, on Tuesday, January 26, showed that he could match a stubborn motorist fist for fist when he engaged the driver in a fight at the Omole bus stop on Oba Ogunnusi Road in the Ojodu area of Lagos State, and in the end, he knocked off three teeth in the driver's mouth.

According to eye witnesses, the cause of the fight was that the driver, identified as Kingsley, refused to part with the sum of N50 that the traffic wardens demanded from him and instead, engaged them in a fight.

It was learnt that the bus driven by Kingsley, was stopped by a team of traffic wardens at the junction, the usual demand was made for him to 'drop' the 'Roger' but he proved stubborn and he was allegedly beaten up by the team which ended in Charles removing his teeth.

Some passengers in the bus narrated that at about 11.30am, Charles, who was with three female officers and four officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, had stopped Kingsley’s vehicle at the junction and the traffic warden allegedly demanded N50 from the motorist before he could let him go.

A traffic warden engaging in a fight with a driver

Photo Credit: Punch

Trouble, however started when Kingsley claimed that he had earlier given N50 to the warden, adding that he would not give him another until evening.

Charles, who allegedly insisted on collecting the money, was said to have dragged Kingsley down from the vehicle and punched him in the face, during which the motorist’s three teeth fell off.

Speaking on the assault, the driver said:

“I am a commercial driver. The warden stopped me about 8am and I gave him N50. So, I was surprised when he asked me again.

I was going towards Agidingbi Road when he stopped me. He demanded another N50. I refused, saying he should wait till evening. He dragged me from the bus and started punching him on my face.

My mouth started bleeding. I realised three of my front teeth had fallen off. So, I grabbed his uniform. People bundled him inside my vehicle and said I should take him to the police station.

His colleagues and LASTMA officials stood away during the altercation because he did not listen to them. I suspect the warden was drunk because of the way he dragged me from my vehicle.”