Four killed in night horror crash on Ogun expressway

Four people have lost their lives in a late-night crash along the Ijebu Ode-Ore Expressway, with authorities pointing to excessive speed and a failed towing operation as key factors.

The fatal incident occurred on Monday night near the Ijebu-Imushin stretch of the highway, involving a commercial bus and a heavy-duty truck. The Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun State confirmed that all occupants of the bus died at the scene.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta, the command’s spokesperson, Mr Odunsi Afolabi, identified the vehicles as a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number BD J482 XC and a blue MAN Diesel truck bearing RSH 969 XC.

Providing details of the crash, Afolabi said: “At approximately 11:16 p.m., a Toyota Hiace bus collided with a MAN Diesel truck, belonging to Julius Berger. Regrettably, all four individuals involved in the crash comprising two male adults and two female sustained fatal injuries and were confirmed dead at the scene.”

He added that emergency responders evacuated the bodies shortly after the incident. “The remains of the victims were evacuated and deposited at the State Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu Ode.”

Preliminary findings suggest the tragedy could have been avoided. The FRSC noted that the truck had been under tow when the towing mechanism failed, leaving it stranded on the road.

“The truck was being towed when the towing chain snapped, and the speeding Toyota bus subsequently rammed into it,” Afolabi explained.

In the aftermath, the driver of the towing vehicle reportedly abandoned the scene, leaving the disabled truck behind. The matter has since been handed over to the Nigerian Police at the Imushin Division, who have taken custody of the vehicles and commenced further investigation.