A tragic accident at Eleko Junction on the Lekki–Ajah Expressway in Lagos State claimed the life of a motorist on Thursday morning, while his wife was left in critical condition after a truck carrying granite overturned onto their Toyota saloon car.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to Taofiq, the truck was descending from the Epe axis “at an excessive speed when its brakes reportedly failed, causing the driver to lose control.”
He added that the mechanical breakdown made the vehicle veer off its lane and slam into the oncoming car.
“The truck eventually flipped over and crushed the smaller vehicle beneath it,” he said.
Rescue teams from LASTMA and the Federal Road Safety Corps, supported by passersby, managed to pull the victims from the wreck.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife, who suffered severe injuries, was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
Authorities said the truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled immediately after the crash. Officers from the Akodo Police Division later arrived to secure the site and support the rescue operations.
LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the accident as entirely preventable.
“This is another painful reminder of the dangers of poor vehicle maintenance and reckless driving,” he said. “Truck operators must ensure their vehicles are in proper working condition before hitting the road.”
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing as efforts continue to trace the fleeing driver.
