No fewer than four passengers have lost their lives while four others sustained serious injuries in a road crash involving a truck and a commercial minibus along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to the agency, the accident occurred opposite Beechwood in Shapati, inward Ajah, along the busy Lekki–Epe corridor.
Taofiq said the crash involved a HOWO truck with registration number KNN 313 YL and a fully loaded Suzuki commercial minibus, popularly known as “Korope.”
Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the articulated truck allegedly lost control of the vehicle while driving, veered off its lane and rammed into the oncoming commercial bus carrying passengers.
“The catastrophic impact of the collision resulted in the immediate death of four male passengers,” the statement said.
“Four other occupants of the bus, comprising two males and two females, sustained severe fracture injuries after becoming trapped inside the mangled wreckage of the vehicle,” Taofiq added.
Officials of LASTMA and other emergency responders were said to have quickly mobilised to the scene and rescued the trapped victims with assistance from passersby.
The injured passengers were taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased were evacuated to the Shency Hospital morgue by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Elemoro Police Division were also present at the scene to maintain order and support the rescue operation.
LASTMA disclosed that the truck driver and his motor boy fled the scene immediately after the crash.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sadness over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
“We sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident and pray for the speedy recovery of those currently receiving treatment,” he said.
Bakare-Oki also commended emergency responders for their swift intervention, which helped rescue the injured victims.
He urged motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, to obey traffic regulations and exercise caution while on the road.
“Drivers must adopt responsible driving habits and remain vigilant at all times to prevent avoidable road accidents,” he said.
Recent data from the Federal Road Safety Corps indicate a rise in road crashes across Nigeria.
Statistics for 2025 show that total crashes increased by 9.2 per cent, rising from 9,570 in 2024 to 10,446 in 2025.
Serious crashes also rose by 10.5 per cent within the same period, while minor crashes recorded a 17.5 per cent increase nationwide.
