Driver dies in Lagos auto crash
Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday after a driver lost his life in a lone vehicular accident at Charity bus stop, along Oshodi-Apapa expressway in Lagos State.
The fatal crash involved a Honda Pilot Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), which reportedly lost control and overturned several times before coming to a devastating halt, leaving the driver dead at the scene.
According to preliminary findings, the impact of the accident was so severe that the deceased became trapped inside the mangled wreckage of the vehicle.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) spokesperson, Taofeeq Adebayo, who confirmed the death record, disclosed that the agency personnel on routine traffic monitoring and management duties in the Iyana Isolo area when the incident occurred, swiftly mobilised to the scene.
In collaboration with officers of the Mosafejo Police Division, the traffic management personnel carried out a painstaking rescue and recovery operation.
The officers successfully extricated the victim from the wreckage while simultaneously ensuring free flow of traffic and preventing secondary accidents along the busy corridor.
Following the operation, officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) evacuated the remains of the deceased to a public mortuary in line with established public health and statutory procedures.
The wrecked Honda Pilot SUV was subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation. Authorities have commenced a comprehensive inquiry aimed at determining both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash.
Reacting to the tragic incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sadness over the loss of life and extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased.
He urged motorists across Lagos State to exercise caution, maintain approved speed limits and strictly obey traffic regulations, especially during late-night and early-morning journeys when visibility and alertness may be reduced.
“Motorists are strongly urged to eschew reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, excessive speeding and every form of traffic infraction capable of precipitating avoidable tragedies on our roads,” Bakare-Oki said.
“The sanctity and preservation of human life must remain paramount in the conduct of every road user. No journey is so urgent as to justify compromising safety.”
The incident caused temporary traffic disruption along the expressway as emergency responders carried out rescue and recovery activities. Normal traffic flow was later restored following the clearance of the accident scene.