Four die; seven injured in Lagos accidents

Four persons died and seven others sustained injuries in three separate road accidents in Lagos on Wednesday, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has said. The ​‌‍‍‍‍⁠⁠‍‌‌⁠​​‍​​‌​agency said the fatal accident occurred at Berger Bridge, inward Eleko, along the Ibeju-Lekki Expressway, involving an articulated truck conveying a 20-foot container and an interstate Toyota Hiace bus.

LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incidents in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos. Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency received a distress call and immediately activated its response team from Epe Base to the scene. According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the truck was ascending the bridge at excessive speed when it collided with the bus.

He said the truck driver lost control while attempting to avoid the collision, causing the truck to overturn onto the bus. Oke-Osanyintolu said four adult males died at the scene, while six other adult males sustained varying degrees of injuries. He said LASEMA, alongside the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police Force, secured the scene and administered first aid to the injured.

He said the injured persons were subsequently conveyed to Epe General Hospital for further medical attention, he said. Oke-Osanyintolu added that a private crane had been secured to recover the overturned truck and container and facilitate the safe extrication of the deceased. He said the recovery operation was ongoing, with traffic management measures deployed to ensure safety along the corridor.

In a related development, he said LASEMA’s Tiger Team from C3 Base responded to a truck accident at about 4:09 a.m. near Vetland School, inward Agege Pen Cinema, along Old Abeokuta Road. He said the truck, with registration number KTU-940XT, rammed into a solar-powered streetlight pole before mounting the road median and obstructing traffic. He said that preliminary findings attributed the incident to reckless driving, although no casualty was recorded.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency deployed traffic diversion measures and later recovered the truck using its heavy-duty equipment, Elephant. He said the truck was conveyed to Abattoir Police Station for further investigation and safekeeping. The permanent secretary also said LASEMA’s Beta Team from Igando Base responded to another accident at Lanre Bus Stop, inward Igando, along LASU-Igando Road.

He said the accident involved a DAF truck, with registration number SMK 795 XY, and a Toyota Corolla, with registration number AKD 169 EA. According to him, a broken-down truck on the opposite side of the road had caused traffic congestion when the DAF truck, allegedly driving against traffic, collided with the Corolla. He said the collision obstructed half of the road inward in Igando, while the Corolla driver sustained a minor head injury.

“The injured driver was taken to Igando General Hospital by an associate,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. He added that the Corolla had been towed to Igando Police Station, while LASEMA deployed its heavy-duty equipment, Super Metro, to recover the DAF truck and restore traffic flow. Oke-Osanyintolu said the recovery operation was ongoing. He urged motorists to observe speed limits, avoid driving against traffic and reckless manoeuvres, and ensure their vehicles were mechanically sound before embarking on any journey.

He also advised residents to report emergencies through the state’s toll-free lines, 767 and 112. The permanent secretary commiserated with the families of the deceased and wished the injured persons a speedy recovery. (NAN)