A delivery rider has been confirmed dead after he was crushed by a tanker along Kodesho Road, opposite Mrs Filling Station, inward Awolowo Way/Oba Akran, in Ikeja, Lagos State.
As gathered, the incident occurred when the fully loaded tanker, with registration number T-19089LA and carrying 33-litre groundnut oil, reportedly struck the rider, killing him instantly.
The tanker driver allegedly fled the scene after the crash without rendering assistance to the victim or notifying the relevant authorities.
However, operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), who received a distress alert, pursued and intercepted the fleeing driver before he could escape.
The traffic management agency, in a statement issued on Wednesday, disclosed that the driver and the tanker had been handed over to the State Traffic Department (STD), Area F Police Command, Ikeja, for investigation and further action.
It added that its personnel also secured the accident scene, managed traffic movement and coordinated emergency response efforts to prevent further disruption along the route.
LASTMA further disclosed that the deceased rider’s colleagues, who arrived at the scene, contacted his family members and expressed grief over the loss of their colleague.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as heartbreaking and avoidable, urging operators of tankers and other heavy-duty vehicles to exercise caution and comply with road safety regulations.
He warned that reckless driving, excessive speed and fleeing accident scenes were serious offences that attract legal consequences.
Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force and other emergency response agencies to improve road safety and ensure prompt management of traffic incidents across Lagos State.
LASTMA urged members of the public to report road crashes and other traffic emergencies through its toll-free emergency hotline, 3367.