- Safiu Kehinde
A commercial bus’s head-on collision with a truck along Ikorodu road, Lagos, has claimed the life of one passenger with six others severely injured.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday around Majidun inward Ogolonto area of Lagos state.
As confirmed in a statement issued by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s (LASTMA) spokesperson, Adebayo Taofeek, the accident involved a Volkswagen commercial bus bearing registration number EPE 494 XM and a stationary tipper truck.
According to the statement, preliminary inquiries established that the ill-fated commercial bus, chartered to convey passengers to a scheduled programme in Ogijo, experienced an abrupt brake failure.
The driver, who was reportedly travelling at an excessive speed, consequently lost control and forcefully collided with a tipper truck positioned at the roadside for diesel purchase.
The brutal impact led to the instant death of an adult female passenger, while five female occupants and one male sustained severe and life-threatening injuries.
While all the injured casualties were rushed to nearby Benic Special Hospital, the remains of the deceased were immediately transferred into the custody of security personnel who conveyed them to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for urgent formal documentation.
Meanwhile, LASTMA operatives pursued and apprehended the tipper truck driver who attempted to abscond upon witnessing the enormity of the tragedy.
The driver of the commercial bus was likewise arrested with both individuals subsequently handed over to officers of the Ipakodo Police Division for comprehensive investigation.
In reaction, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki conveyed profound grief over the harrowing incident and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
He prayed that Almighty God grants them the fortitude to endure the irreplaceable loss, and he wished the injured victims a swift and full recovery.
Bakare-Oki further admonished motorists to exercise utmost restraint, vigilance, and discipline on the highways by avoiding excessive speed.
He stressed that overspeeding drastically impairs a driver’s capacity to respond to sudden mechanical failures or unforeseen hazards, thereby magnifying the risk of catastrophic outcomes.