By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
A Lagos State High Court has slammed a life imprisonment sentence on a truck driver, Okpara Kingsley Onyekachi, for killing a serving officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during routine traffic enforcement, in a judgment hailed by authorities as a defining moment for road safety enforcement in Nigeria.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, January 14, 2026, by the High Court of Lagos State (TBS Division) in Suit No. LD/24692C/2024.
The State v. Okpara Kingsley Onyekachi, followed a fatal crash that claimed the life of Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Ajomale, who was lawfully on duty.
The court heard that the incident occurred on November 16, 2023, at Orile–Iganmu, Lagos, where an FRSC patrol team had flagged down a mini truck for routine inspection.
Investigations revealed that Onyekachi, driving a 40-foot container-laden truck at excessive speed, failed to slow down or exercise due caution and rammed into the stationary mini truck.
The impact crushed DCRMA Ajomale, who sustained fatal injuries while actively discharging official duties.
In a strongly worded judgment, the court ruled that the driver’s actions amounted to gross negligence, recklessness and unlawful conduct, dismissing any claim that the incident was an accident.
The judge convicted Onyekachi of Involuntary Manslaughter under the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Reacting to the verdict, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, mni, described the judgment as a watershed moment for justice and traffic law enforcement.
He said the ruling sends an unmistakable message to motorists particularly operators of heavy-duty vehicles that reckless driving will attract the full weight of the law.
“When a life is lost due to gross negligence, especially the life of an officer on lawful duty, justice must not be optional,” Mohammed said.
The Corps Marshal said the FRSC would intensify enforcement operations, strengthen prosecution support and deepen collaboration with stakeholders to curb dangerous driving behaviours nationwide.
He warned that drivers who flout traffic regulations and endanger lives should expect severe legal consequences.
“We will pursue justice relentlessly for every fallen officer and every innocent road user,” he added.
The FRSC management and staff also paid tribute to the late DCRMA Ajomale, describing his death as a painful reminder of the dangers faced daily by road safety personnel in the line of duty.
Officials said his sacrifice would continue to strengthen the Corps’ resolve to protect lives on Nigerian roads.
Legal observers say the judgment sets a powerful precedent, reinforcing the principle that traffic offences resulting in death especially of officers on duty will no longer be treated as routine accidents but as serious criminal acts.
For road safety authorities, the verdict marks a turning point: recklessness behind the wheel now carries irreversible consequences.
