A tragic accident on Wednesday morning claimed the lives of a father, mother, and their young child along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, inward the Otedola Bridge, Lagos. The fatal crash occurred near the Secretariat axis and involved multiple vehicles, leaving two additional victims critically injured.
The Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the heartbreaking incident in an official statement. He described the crash as a catastrophic collision that underscored the deadly consequences of reckless road behavior.
According to Taofiq, preliminary investigations showed that three vehicles, Audi, Toyota Camry, and Toyota Corolla, were involved in the crash. The chain of events began when a heavily loaded speeding truck rammed violently into one of the cars from behind, resulting in a loss of control and subsequent collisions involving the other vehicles.
The force of the impact instantly ended the lives of the three family members, who were trapped inside their vehicle. In a disturbing twist, the truck driver reportedly fled the scene with the vehicle, abandoning the victims and evading immediate arrest.
LASTMA operatives arrived swiftly and worked alongside other emergency agencies to manage the crisis. Their coordinated response ensured that survivors were rescued promptly while the deceased were carefully recovered from the wreckage and handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU).
Two critically injured victims were successfully extricated from their vehicles and transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre at the Toll Gate for urgent medical attention.
Security personnel from the Isheri Olowora Police Division also provided essential protection during the rescue efforts, while LASTMA officers cleared the damaged vehicles from the expressway to prevent secondary accidents and maintain traffic safety.
The multi-agency emergency response included LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, SEHMU, and the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service highlighting a collective commitment to saving lives and minimizing further dangers.
LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over what he termed the “unbearable and irreplaceable loss of an entire family.” He extended his condolences to the bereaved relatives and prayed for divine comfort and strength during their grief.
Bakare-Oki also wished the injured victims a quick recovery and commended the professionalism and speed of all emergency responders who worked tirelessly at the scene. He lamented that the tragedy was preventable and emphasized LASTMA’s repeated warnings against reckless speeding especially among drivers of articulated and heavily loaded trucks.
He reaffirmed that excessive speed remains one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes and urged all motorists to strictly adhere to speed limits, maintain discipline, and adopt defensive driving practices on highways.
Bakare-Oki further assured the public that LASTMA will continue to intensify traffic surveillance, enforce regulations, and collaborate with security and emergency agencies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
