TRAGIC ROAD MISHAP: SIX FATALITIES RECORDED, NINE SURVIVORS RESCUED BY LASTMA AND ALLIED EMERGENCY AGENCIES AT IBEJU, LEKKI–EPE EXPRESSWAY, LAGOS
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) sorrowfully confirms the occurrence of a grievous road traffic accident today at Ibeju Bus Stop along the Lekki–Epe Expressway, which claimed the lives of six individuals, while nine others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The deceased victims comprised two adult males, three adult females, and one minor child. The nine injured survivors—three males and six females—were swiftly extricated by LASTMA with support from other emergency responders and immediately conveyed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Epe, and Hammond Hospital for urgent medical attention. The remains of the deceased were deposited at the FMC morgue, pending formal identification by their bereaved families.
It was further established that four individuals escaped unscathed from the wreckage of this tragic incident.
The victims were promptly attended to by the LASTMA Rescue Unit, operating in synergy with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), whose collaborative efforts ensured rapid evacuation and immediate restoration of order at the scene.
Preliminary investigation conducted by security operatives revealed that the accident which involved a blue Volvo FL6 truck conveying wooden planks and a white commercial bus (AKD 336 YD) was precipitated by excessive speeding and reckless driving infractions.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, while decrying the persistent menace of reckless motoring practices on Lagos highways. He reiterated LASTMA’s age-long caution that “speed thrills, but ultimately kills.”
Mr. Bakare-Oki earnestly admonished motorists to cultivate the virtues of patience, discipline, and defensive driving.
He stressed that excessive speed imperils not only the life of the driver but also jeopardizes the safety of innocent passengers and unsuspecting road users.
The General Manager further enjoined all drivers to comply meticulously with traffic regulations, shun distractions, and maintain undivided concentration behind the wheel—particularly during the Ember Months, a season historically characterized by heightened vehicular movement and increased accident frequency.
Bakare-Oki emphasized unequivocally that road crashes during this period are not attributable to mystical forces or supernatural causation but are, in truth, the direct consequences of human recklessness, poor judgment, and an outright failure to embrace defensive driving culture.
The General Manager equally commended the swift intervention and exemplary collaboration of allied emergency responders, underscoring that road safety remains a collective civic obligation, requiring synergy between enforcement agencies and the conscientious compliance of the motoring public.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority hereby reaffirms its unyielding commitment to the preservation of life, the protection of property, and the sustenance of a safe and orderly traffic ecosystem across Lagos State.
Adebayo Taofiq
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA
