Four passengers were killed and four others injured in a road accident involving a truck and a commercial mini bus along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said.
LASTMA confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.
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According to the agency, the crash occurred over the weekend opposite Beechwood, Shapati, inward Ajah, along the busy expressway corridor.
Mr Taofiq said the accident involved a HOWO truck with registration number KNN 313 YL and a fully loaded Suzuki commercial mini bus, popularly known as a “Korope.”
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He said preliminary findings showed that the driver of the articulated truck lost control of the vehicle while in motion.
The truck reportedly veered across the carriageway and rammed into the oncoming commercial minibus carrying passengers.
“The four critically injured victims who were rescued from the wreckage were immediately conveyed to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment, while the remains of the four passengers who tragically lost their lives were respectfully evacuated and deposited at Shency Hospital Morgue with an emergency ambulance belonging to FRSC,” the statement said.
Rescue operation
Officials of LASTMA, alongside other emergency responders and passersby, mobilised to the scene and rescued the trapped victims from the mangled bus.
The four injured passengers were taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased were evacuated and deposited at the Shency Hospital morgue with the assistance of an ambulance belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Elemoro Police Division were also deployed to the scene to maintain order and ensure the safety of rescue personnel and other road users during the emergency response.
The police have said an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the crash.
Mr Taofiq added that the truck driver and his motorboy fled the scene shortly after the accident.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
He also wished the injured victims a speedy recovery and commended the coordinated efforts of emergency responders whose intervention helped rescue the trapped passengers.
Mr Bakare-Oki urged motorists, particularly articulated vehicle operators, to exercise caution and adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent avoidable road accidents.
Pattern of crashes
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the latest accident adds to a series of fatal road crashes recorded in Lagos in recent months.
According to LASTMA, the crash occurred at the New Castle Bus Stop inward Gbagada and involved a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LSD 654 XY.
Mr Taofiq said the bus reportedly veered off course and rammed into a roadside culvert, causing a female passenger to be forcefully ejected onto the expressway.
“The impact forcefully ejected a female passenger onto the expressway, while six others sustained serious injuries, including multiple fractures,” he said.
He added that the woman was subsequently crushed by an oncoming articulated truck whose driver could not avoid hitting her, resulting in her immediate death.
According to him, six other occupants of the bus, including the driver, sustained serious injuries in the crash, while the truck driver fled the scene.
Mr Taofiq said LASTMA officials immediately activated emergency traffic management protocols and temporarily cordoned off the expressway to enable the safe evacuation of victims and removal of the wreckage.
Personnel from the Nigeria Police Force’s Pedro Police Division were deployed to maintain order and support emergency operations, while officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service evacuated the injured victims to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The remains of the deceased were later removed by personnel of the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit.
“Following the successful evacuation, LASTMA operatives cleared the corridor and restored normal traffic flow,” Mr Taofiq said.
READ ALSO:One killed, six injured in Lagos road crash
Other recent incidents
On New Year’s Day, two people were killed and at least six others injured in separate crashes across Lagos, including a fatal collision between a Volkswagen commercial bus and a Toyota Sienna vehicle at Iyana Itire inward Oshodi, according to LASTMA.
Another incident occurred the same day along the Ibeju Bridge inward Eleko on the Lekki–Ajah Expressway when a DAF tanker collided with an Opel Zafira car, leaving two persons critically injured.
Similarly, four people were injured in another crash involving a Volkswagen commercial bus and a Toyota Corolla at Owode Elede inward Owode-Onirin along the Ikorodu Road corridor.
Also in January, six worshippers were killed when a truck loaded with sharp sand rammed into a branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God along Hospital Road in Epe shortly after an evening service.
Other fatal crashes have also been recorded along major highways, including the Lekki–Epe Expressway and the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, where collisions involving heavy-duty trucks have resulted in multiple deaths.
Road safety authorities say excessive speeding, poor vehicle maintenance and reckless driving remain major causes of accidents across major transport corridors in Lagos.
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