A motor boy was killed on Thursday after a series of multiple-vehicle crashes involving articulated trucks and an overturned chemical-laden trailer caused massive traffic disruption on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the early morning incidents triggered an extensive rescue operation involving the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force and heavy-duty towing operators.
According to the Director of Public Affairs, LASTMA, Adebayo Taofeek, the crashes involved three articulated trucks, two Mitsubishi Canter trucks, a Toyota Sienna and a separate articulated trailer conveying chemical substances that overturned on Kara Bridge inward Mowe-Ibafo.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the overturned trailer obstructed the roadway, leading to a chain-reaction collision involving several vehicles.
The agency confirmed that a motor boy trapped during the initial accident around the OPIC axis died despite efforts by emergency responders to save him, adding that his body was later evacuated from the scene.
The accidents caused severe traffic congestion stretching from Kara Bridge through Berger to Otedola Bridge, with the gridlock extending to the Isheri-Olowora and Ogunnusi corridors.
To ease the situation, LASTMA officials introduced temporary traffic diversion, allowing controlled one-way movement from Berger towards OPIC Turning while damaged vehicles were recovered and the highway cleared.
LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to prompt emergency response and effective traffic management through collaboration with other emergency services.
He urged operators of articulated vehicles to ensure their trucks were mechanically fit before embarking on journeys, and to maintain safe following distances and avoid reckless driving, particularly on bridges and other critical sections of highways.
Oki also appealed to motorists to remain patient, obey traffic officials, and use alternative routes where possible until normal traffic flow was fully restored.
The agency further encouraged members of the public to report accidents, vehicle breakdowns, and traffic obstructions through its toll-free emergency short code, 3367, to enable swift responses to emergencies.