Three persons, including a toddler, lost their lives on Friday after an articulated truck reportedly lost control and rammed into commuters waiting at a bus stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The tragic incident occurred around 2:00 pm at the Toll-Gate area of the busy highway and left several others injured.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the accident in a statement, revealing that six other people sustained injuries of varying degrees during the crash.
According to him, the accident involved a total of 15 people and several vehicles after the truck reportedly suffered brake failure, causing the driver to lose control.
Eyewitnesses said the white Howo Sino truck, with registration number T4995LA, crashed into commuters who were attempting to board vehicles at the bus stop before colliding with multiple commercial buses along the road.
Vehicles affected in the crash included two yellow commercial buses with registration numbers SMK 199YK and AGL 394YA, an LT commercial bus marked FKJ 360YH, as well as two Suzuki yellow buses with registration numbers 98YL and KSF 23YA.
Akinbiyi explained that the truck was unable to stop after the brake failure, leading to the devastating collision that crushed several people and damaged vehicles in the process.
“The truck reportedly failed to stop, crushing commuters who were attempting to board a bus and damaging several vehicles along its path,” he said.
Providing further details, the TRACE spokesperson noted that three people — two adults and a toddler — died at the scene, while six other commuters sustained injuries and were rushed for medical treatment.
“Fifteen people were involved in the incident overall. Six commuters were injured, and sadly, three people, including a toddler, lost their lives at the scene,” Akinbiyi added.
He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized the need for stricter safety measures among operators of articulated vehicles.
Akinbiyi urged truck drivers and transport companies to ensure that their vehicles are properly serviced and maintained before embarking on journeys, stressing that regular maintenance could help prevent such tragic incidents.
He also advised traders who display goods on walkways and road verges to remove them, noting that such practices could pose additional risks to commuters and road users.
