A horrifying road accident along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the early hours of Sunday claimed the lives of eight persons, including the driver and conductor of a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus, leaving the Badagry community in mourning.
The fatal crash occurred at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, when the speeding bus, registered as KJA 811 YF, reportedly lost control while navigating a bend and collided head-on with a DAF truck with plate number T1 4636 LA. The impact was described as catastrophic.
Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Taofiq Adebayo, confirmed the accident, attributing it to reckless speeding by the bus driver. “The driver was running at neck-breaking speed while trying to negotiate a bend and lost control before crashing into the truck,” he said.
Emergency responders, including LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigeria Police (Morogbo Division), and the Nigerian Army’s 244 Battalion (Ibereko Barracks), launched a swift and coordinated rescue operation. Eight passengers with various injuries were successfully rescued from the wreckage and rushed to the General Hospital in Badagry for emergency treatment.
General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who visited the crash site, described the incident as deeply tragic. “This heart-wrenching event is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of safe driving. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” he said.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured victims. He also issued a stern warning to commercial and heavy-duty drivers, urging strict adherence to safety protocols and regular vehicle maintenance.
“This regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided. Speed remains a silent killer on our highways,” Mr. Bakare-Oki stressed, reaffirming LASTMA’s ongoing transition from conventional traffic control to holistic incident management aligned with the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
As part of its safety reforms, LASTMA has begun deploying speed-limiting devices at critical traffic points across Lagos to curb reckless driving and reduce road fatalities.
While commending the swift response of sister agencies and the professionalism of LASTMA operatives, the agency appealed to all road users to exercise heightened caution and civic responsibility, especially on high-speed corridors.
“LASTMA remains fully committed to saving lives, managing emergencies, and promoting a safer, more responsible commuting environment for all Lagosians,” the statement concluded.