No fewer than 10 people were killed, while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal road accident that occurred on Sunday night along the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway.
The Punch reported that the crash happened around 8:05 p.m. at Saapade Bridge and involved a white Sinotruk truck and a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number EKY 290 YM.
The spokesperson for the Ogun Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Afolabi Odunsi, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday.
Odunsi said a total of 18 people were involved in the collision, comprising 15 adult males, two adult females and one male child.
According to him, 10 victims — nine adult males and one male child — lost their lives, while six others, including four adult males and two adult females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Two adult males escaped without injuries.
The FRSC attributed the fatal crash to excessive speed, wrongful overtaking and dangerous driving.
Odunsi said, “A total of 18 persons were involved in the crash, comprising 15 adult males, 2 adult females and 1 male child. Sadly, 10 persons lost their lives, comprising 9 adult males and 1 male child, while 6 persons (4 adult males and 2 adult females) sustained varying degrees of injuries. Two adult males escaped unhurt.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused by speed violation (SPV), wrongful overtaking (WOV) and dangerous driving (DGD).
“The truck driver reportedly reversed on the highway after missing his direction, while the approaching bus, travelling at high speed, attempted to navigate through the limited space available and rammed into the truck.”
He added that FRSC rescue teams responded swiftly to the scene, evacuating the injured victims to Victory Hospital, Ogere, for treatment, while the bodies of those who died were deposited at FOS Mortuary, Ipara.
Odunsi further disclosed that officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Ishara Division had taken custody of the damaged vehicles, while arrangements had been concluded to evacuate them from the scene.
He noted that the obstruction caused by the accident had been cleared, restoring the free flow of traffic along the highway.
Reacting to the incident, the Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, sympathised with the families of the deceased and wished those receiving treatment a speedy recovery.
Ogunjobi also cautioned motorists, especially commercial drivers and truck operators, against reversing on highways, speeding, reckless driving and other traffic violations capable of causing fatal crashes.
He reiterated the need for all road users to obey traffic regulations, maintain safe driving speeds and make use of designated turning points whenever they miss their routes, stressing that adherence to these safety measures would help prevent avoidable tragedies on the nation’s highways.
The latest accident comes barely weeks after a dispatch rider was killed in a collision with a containerised articulated truck along the Ilupeju Bypass in Lagos State.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, had said the rider reportedly lost his life after struggling for the right of way with a commercial minibus, popularly known as “Korope.”
