A lone midnight accident under the Alaka Bridge in Surulere, Lagos, has claimed the life of a motorist who was reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
The tragic incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. on Saturday and involved a navy blue Toyota Camry with registration number EKY 311 GK, which somersaulted several times before coming to a halt beneath the bridge.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and operatives of the Nigeria Police Force were said to have arrived promptly at the scene to recover the remains of the deceased and clear the wreckage.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, said preliminary investigations revealed that the crash occurred as a result of excessive speeding and intoxication.
“The navy blue Toyota Camry was travelling at high speed inward Iponri when the driver lost control near the Alaka Under Bridge in Surulere,” Taofiq stated.
“The vehicle somersaulted repeatedly, culminating in a fatal impact that claimed the driver’s life at the scene.”
He added that evidence and eyewitness accounts indicated the driver was under the influence of alcohol, which severely impaired his judgment and reaction time.
“Eyewitnesses and forensic evidence corroborated reports that the deceased was intoxicated, a condition that severely impaired his judgment and reaction time, leading to the catastrophic loss of control,” he said.
Taofiq disclosed that officers from LASTMA’s 24-hour Night Operations Squad cordoned off the scene to prevent secondary accidents, while the Bode Thomas Police Division documented the case and contacted the victim’s family through his mobile phone recovered from the vehicle.
The deceased’s body was later released to his wife and relatives.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as a painful reminder of the deadly consequences of drunk driving, especially during the Ember Months, when road crashes are most frequent.
“This tragic crash is a sobering reminder that drunk driving kills,” Bakare-Oki said. “We urge all motorists to remain vigilant, responsible, and safety-conscious while on the road.”
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to its road safety campaign titled “Safe Roads, Safe Lives… LASTMA Cares,” aimed at reducing road fatalities through strict enforcement, public education, and collaboration with other security agencies.
Bakare-Oki also encouraged Lagos residents to report reckless driving and other unsafe road practices to authorities to help save lives.
