AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of one person and injuries to nine others in a road accident at New Garage, inward Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Public Education Officer of the Corps, Route Commander Oluwadamilola Jayeola, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos.
According to her, the crash occurred around 6:55 a.m. and involved a white Iveco truck with registration number MEK 34 XC and a white Toyota commercial bus, ENU 814 XJ.
“Sadly, one male passenger lost his life, while nine others, eight men and one woman, sustained varying degrees of injury. No passenger escaped unhurt,” Jayeola said.
She explained that the victims were quickly evacuated by FRSC rescue teams to the Emergency Centre, Ojota, and Gbagada General Hospital, while the deceased was deposited at the Real Divine Hospital Mortuary, Ibafo. The accident scene was also cleared promptly to restore traffic flow.
Jayeola added that the vehicles had been taken into custody by officers of the MTD Police, Ojodu Abiodun Division, while investigations continue. Preliminary findings, she said, indicated that speeding and road obstruction caused the crash.
The Lagos Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, commiserated with the bereaved family and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He warned motorists against excessive speeding, particularly during the “ember months,” and urged them to drive with patience and focus.
Hamzat reiterated the Corps’ commitment to safer highways and the protection of lives and property nationwide.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of Nigeria’s busiest and most accident-prone corridors, has been the scene of repeated road tragedies over the years.
Report had it that incidents in which 19 passengers narrowly escaped death in one crash and six people lost their lives in another.
Experts have consistently linked the high rate of accidents on the route to speeding, reckless driving, and poor road conditions, despite repeated warnings by the FRSC and other authorities.
