A driver and four passengers have been confirmed dead by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) during an auto crash along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the state.
The auto crash, as gathered from eyewitnesses, involved a Toyota Camry and an Iveco truck around the Mowo end of the expressway in Badagry Local Government Area.
Confirming the auto crash, the Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the accident occurred in the early hours of yesterday at Sawmill, near Mowo Bus Stop.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that its Dolphin Team from Igando Base was mobilised to the scene following a distress call received at 5:16 a.m.
According to the Permanent Secretary, preliminary findings indicated that the Toyota Camry driver was speeding and driving recklessly when he lost control, crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with the oncoming Iveco truck.
Oke-Osanyintolu, who disclosed that the five deceased were occupants of the Toyota Camry, stated that their remains were recovered with dignity and handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, for further necessary action.
“The response operation involved LASEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASTMA, FRSC and officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Morogbo Division.
“Two tow trucks were deployed to remove the damaged vehicles, which were taken to Morogbo Police Division. The expressway was subsequently cleared and reopened to traffic”.
Oke-Osanyintolu, meanwhile, commiserated with the families of the deceased and urged motorists to avoid speeding, wrongful overtaking and other dangerous driving practices, particularly during the early morning hours.
He stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility, reaffirming LASEMA’s commitment to prompt emergency response and inter-agency collaboration to protect lives and property across Lagos.