One person died and three others were rescued after a 40-foot containerized truck crushed a commercial mini bus along old Ipaja Road, near Agbotikuyo in Lagos.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday when the Mack truck reportedly suffered a brake failure and toppled onto the minibus, commonly referred to as “Korope,” which was en route Iyana Ipaja.
The driver of the minibus died on the spot. Three passengers — two women and one man — were rescued from the wreckage without major injuries and were immediately attended to by emergency medical personnel.
The accident caused huge traffic congestion in the area, as the truck blocked a large section of the road, disrupting movement along nearby streets including Shofunde and Olufunlayo.
Spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the accident, saying officers of the agency quickly managed the situation by implementing diversions to reduce traffic gridlock.
According to him, the truck driver attempted to flee the scene but was intercepted by LASTMA operatives and handed over to officers from the Elere and Area ‘G’ Police Divisions.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS), and the Nigeria Police worked with LASTMA to secure the scene, recover the body of the deceased, and restore normal traffic flow.
In a statement, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, expressed condolences to the victim’s family. He called on truck operators to conduct routine mechanical checks, particularly on braking systems, before operating on public roads.
“Truck operators must adhere strictly to safety protocols. It is non-negotiable that every articulated vehicle undergoes thorough mechanical inspection — especially the braking systems — before venturing onto our roads,” Giwa said.
“Preventable tragedies like this underscore the need for unwavering compliance,” he added.