NIGERIA: Truck-Induced Collision Kills Family Of Three On Lagos–Ibadan Expressway

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

A tragic multi-vehicle collision on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway has claimed the lives of three members of the same family, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed on Wednesday.

The accident, which occurred at Secretariat inward Otedola Bridge, left a father, mother, and their young child dead on the spot, while two other victims sustained critical injuries.

According to LASTMA, preliminary investigations showed that the crash involved three cars a Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, and an Audi after a speeding, heavily loaded truck rammed into one of the vehicles from behind, triggering a chain-reaction collision across the expressway.

LASTMA said: “The impact caused the vehicle to lose control, colliding with two additional moving vehicles.”

In what authorities described as a disturbing turn, the truck driver fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the crash, abandoning the victims and evading responsibility.

Emergency responders from LASTMA arrived shortly after the incident and worked with LASAMBUS, LASEMA, FRSC, SEHMU, the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, and police personnel from the Isheri Olowora Division to rescue survivors and recover the bodies.

Two critically injured victims were extricated from the wreckage and taken to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre, Toll-Gate, for urgent medical attention.

The agency noted:“The three deceased family members were respectfully recovered and handed over to SEHMU for immediate evacuation.”

LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as heartbreaking and avoidable.

“This is an unbearable and irreplaceable loss of an entire family,” he said.

He extended condolences to the bereaved relatives and commended the emergency teams for their swift, coordinated response. Bakare-Oki further warned drivers, especially operators of heavy-duty vehicle, against overspeeding, which he identified as a leading cause of fatalities on Nigerian highways.

He cautioned: “Excessive speed remains one of the most lethal contributors to road accidents. Motorists must exercise caution and adhere strictly to speed regulations.”

LASTMA assured Lagos residents of strengthened surveillance, stricter traffic enforcement, and closer collaboration with security and emergency agencies to prevent similar tragedies.