The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has said an accident involving a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number EPE 494 XM and a stationary tipper truck has claimed one life.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, said that six others were severely injured.
Mr Bakare-Oki said that the accident occurred in the early hours around Majidun, inward Ogolonto, directly opposite MRS Filling Station.
He stated, “Preliminary inquiries have 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 speeding, consequently lost control and forcefully collided with a tipper truck positioned at the roadside for diesel purchase.
“The brutal impact resulted in the instantaneous death of an adult female passenger, while five female occupants and one male sustained severe and life-threatening injuries.”
According to him, the injured were rushed to nearby Benic Special Hospital, while 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.
He said that LASTMA operatives pursued and apprehended the tipper truck driver who attempted to abscond upon witnessing the enormity of the tragedy.
He said the driver of the commercial bus was likewise arrested, noting that both individuals were thereafter handed over to officers of the Ipakodo Police Division for comprehensive investigation.
“To re-establish order and ensure seamless vehicular movement toward Ikorodu Garage, LASTMA personnel efficiently removed the mangled remains of both vehicles from the roadway,” he said.
Mr Bakare-Oki conveyed profound grief over the harrowing incident and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.
He admonished motorists to exercise utmost restraint, vigilance, and discipline on the highways by avoiding excessive speed.
He stressed that speeding drastically impairs a driver’s capacity to respond to sudden mechanical failures or unforeseen hazards, thereby magnifying the risk of catastrophic outcomes.
Mr Bakare-Oki reaffirmed LASTMA’s resolute commitment to the protection of lives and the promotion of safer motoring culture across Lagos State.
(NAN)