The violent crash resulted in the immediate death of the adult female passenger and the eight-month-old infant, who tragically succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision.
A tragic road accident on Ikorodu Road, Lagos, earlier on Sunday has claimed the lives of an eight-month-old baby and an adult female, leaving the community in mourning.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident, which occurred opposite Olabode House, between Anthony and Obanikoro, in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.
Preliminary reports indicate that a red Tata commercial bus traveling at excessive speed from Palmgroove toward Anthony lost control, breaching the median and colliding with a Volkswagen commercial bus carrying passengers in the opposite direction from Anthony to Palmgroove.
The violent crash resulted in the immediate death of the adult female passenger and the eight-month-old infant, who tragically succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision.
“The sheer violence of the impact resulted in the instantaneous death of an adult female passenger aboard the Volkswagen bus, while an eight-month-old female infant tragically succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision,” it said.
“The untimely and heartrending loss of such tender and innocent lives has plunged the entire corridor and indeed the wider community into profound mourning.”
According to the statement, in a swift response, LASTMA operatives, assisted by members of the public, launched a coordinated rescue operation, successfully extricating ten passengers, including the drivers of both vehicles, from the wreckage.
Six passengers were rescued from the Volkswagen bus, while four were evacuated from the red Tata bus, all sustaining varying degrees of serious injuries.
To prevent further accidents, LASTMA secured the accident scene, cordoned off the area, and cleared the wrecked vehicles, restoring traffic flow along the busy corridor.
“The Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) promptly transported the injured victims to nearby medical facilities for immediate and comprehensive medical attention, while officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) respectfully recovered and evacuated the remains of the deceased infant and adult female,” it said.
Security coverage was provided by the Ilupeju Police Division.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, particularly the mother of the infant, who also sustained serious injuries and is receiving treatment. He described the crash as a moment of collective grief and offered prayers for the recovery of the injured.
Bakare-Oki also warned motorists, especially commercial drivers, to exercise restraint, comply with speed limits, and ensure routine vehicle roadworthiness, particularly of braking systems, to prevent similar tragedies.
“He emphasized the non-negotiable necessity of routine vehicle roadworthiness assessments, particularly of braking systems, prior to embarking on any journey within or beyond Lagos State, cautioning that recklessness on the road remains a deadly menace with irreversible and devastating consequences,” he said.