Tragedy on highway: Eight dead in fiery Lagos bus-truck collision

Accident 1

The ghastly accident

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

A devastating road accident in the early hours of today has left eight people dead and several others injured following a violent collision between a commercial bus and a DAF truck at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, Lagos.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the crash involved a 16-seater Mazda bus, with registration number KJA 811 YF, and a DAF truck, marked T1 4636 LA.

Among the eight victims who lost their lives instantly were the bus driver and his conductor.

Eyewitness accounts and preliminary findings by LASTMA officials indicate that the commercial bus was travelling at high speed before the driver lost control, crashing into the truck with catastrophic force. The impact was so severe that it offered little chance of survival for several occupants.

In a swift, multi-agency emergency response, LASTMA operatives worked alongside officers from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police (Morogbo Division), and personnel of the 244 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Ibereko Barracks, to conduct a coordinated rescue operation at the scene.

Thanks to their prompt efforts, eight other passengers were rescued alive, though with varying degrees of injuries.

They were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital, Badagry, via an FRSC vehicle for urgent medical attention.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, visited the scene to assess the aftermath and offer his condolences to the bereaved families.

“This heart-wrenching incident is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution. No journey should end in such tragedy,” he said.

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“May the Almighty grant the deceased eternal rest and console those left behind.”

He also wished the injured victims a swift and full recovery, and issued a stern warning to commercial drivers and operators of heavy-duty vehicles.

“This regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided if the basic tenets of defensive driving and vehicular safety had been upheld. Speed remains a silent killer on our highways,” he cautioned.

Bakare-Oki reiterated that LASTMA has shifted from routine traffic control to a broader mandate of incident management, aligned with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which prioritises proactive safety strategies and rapid emergency response.

“We are no longer merely controlling traffic; we are managing emergencies, mitigating disasters, and saving lives. This is the ethos of contemporary traffic administration,” he added.

He further noted the deployment of speed-limiting mechanisms at key accident-prone locations across Lagos as part of government efforts to reduce fatalities, encourage safe driving, and protect commuters.

While appreciating the swift intervention of the FRSC, the Police, and the Nigerian Army, LASTMA also praised its frontline operatives whose professionalism and courage helped contain the tragic situation.

 

 

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