Two people lost their lives in two separate accidents that occurred along the LASU-Igando road and the Osborne Expressway, Lagos State.
This is just as a truck driver involved in one of the accidents was arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Sunday after his vehicle lost control and rammed into a pedestrian along the Osborne Expressway, leaving the victim dead on the spot.
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PUNCH Metro learnt on Sunday from a statement by the LASTMA Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, that the first accident occurred when the vehicle developed a brake failure, causing the driver to lose control.
Taofiq noted that the driver, in a bid to avoid a collision with other vehicles ahead, rammed into a pedestrian walking by the roadside.
He stated, “The fatal incident occurred along Simpson Street, inward Ikoyi, on Osborne Expressway by the Traffic Light Junction, when the truck, reportedly travelling at an excessive velocity, experienced a sudden brake malfunction.
“In a frantic effort to avert a collision with vehicles ahead, the driver lost control of the vehicle and, in the ensuing chaos, rammed into a pedestrian walking along the roadside, instantly killing the victim.
“LASTMA officers, in a swift response, deployed an immediate emergency operation, professionally securing the accident scene to forestall further crashes and ensure the seamless flow of vehicular movement within the area.”
He added that LASTMA operatives arrested the driver and handed him over to the police, after which the police took the body of the victim to a morgue.
“The driver of the ill-fated truck was swiftly apprehended by LASTMA personnel and subsequently handed over to security operatives from the Dolphin Estate and Ikoyi Police Divisions for further interrogation and necessary legal procedures.
“The remains of the deceased pedestrian were respectfully evacuated from the accident scene by police officers and conveyed to a mortuary in Ebute Metta, pending formal identification by the victim’s family,” Taofiq added.
In a reaction to the accident, the LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condoled with the families of the deceased.
Reacting through Taofiq, the GM added, “The unfortunate accident underscores the imperative of routine vehicular inspection and maintenance, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles and articulated trucks operating within Lagos and beyond.”
While commending the operatives for their swift response, Bakare-Oki admonished drivers on the need for routine vehicular inspection and maintenance, and the importance of abiding by traffic rules at all times.
He stressed the agency’s commitment to ensuring efficient traffic management across the state.
In a separate statement on Sunday, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that an accident that occurred on the LASU-Igando road left one person dead.
According to the perm sec, the accident occurred when a passenger vehicle rammed into a stationary, faulty truck in the area.
He stated, “Upon arrival at the incident scene by 11:27 p.m., it was discovered that a commercial bus fully loaded with passengers had collided with a broken-down Private Sector Participant truck on the road.
“Investigations revealed that a Private Sector Participant truck with registration number KSF 254 XV, had broken down on the fast lane of the Obadore bridge, with no “C-Caution”, nor any visible signs installed, to announce its presence there to oncoming vehicles.
“Unfortunately, a Mazda commercial bus, registration number LND 602 YE, loaded with passengers, crashed into the broken-down PSP compactor truck.”
He added that the driver died at the spot, while other passengers sustained injuries.
“Driver of the Mazda bus, an adult male, lost his life in the incident. Other passengers in the accidental bus sustained various degrees of injuries.
“The owner of the Mazda bus, a staff member of Lagos State University, has been evacuated with the LASU ambulance to his residence. The accidental Mazda bus has been towed to Obadore Police Station with the Agency’s Lite Tow Truck,” Oke-Osanyintolu concluded.
PUNCH Metro reported a similar incident in December 2024 which an unidentified pedestrian was crushed to death after a truck suffered a brake failure in the Iyana Ishashi area of Lagos State.
Taofiq had stated that the accident occurred when the truck driver lost control while attempting a U-turn and rammed into a pedestrian, killing him on the spot.
These incidents showed recurring patterns of truck drivers causing avoidable deaths.
