By Rufai Oseni, a journalist with Arise TV, has apologized over his recent row with the police over traffic infraction.
On Monday, Rufai had tweeted that a policeman pointed a gun at him for driving through the designated lane for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses in Lagos.
The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin had, in response, said the journalist admitted to disobeying traffic laws with the claim that he was misdirected by Google Maps.
A video showing Oseni lashed out at officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) who impounded his vehicle later surfaced on social media, and sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians.
On Tuesday, the journalist appeared in court and was fined N70,000 for violating the Lagos State Transport Law 2018. He paid the fine and his vehicle was released to him.
Speaking on Wednesday during Arise TV’s Morning Show, Oseni tendered a public apology to all parties involved, saying he has learnt his lessons.
“As many of you know, in the last two days, I have been in the news for the wrong reasons. This has resulted in needless distraction for my friends, family, members of the public, and for all my colleagues here on Arise News Channel,” he said.
“I would therefore like to apologise to all parties over what transpired during the incident with the police when I was stopped for driving on a bus lane. I cannot and dare not lay claims to knowing it all.
“Lessons have been learnt from this entire episode, and this has been a most humbling experience for me.
“I would also like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those who have reached out to me in the last two days for their guidance and counseling.
“Thank you, everyone. God bless you all and please let’s continue to strive to make our country a better place for all of us.”
