An official of the FRSC also disclosed that the driver of the truck involved in the crash fled the scene immediately after the accident and was subsequently declared wanted.
The driver of the vehicle conveying former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, during the fatal crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been discharged from the hospital and may be prosecuted for reckless driving.
The Guardian reported this after a visit to Duchess International Hospital, Lagos, where Joshua was initially treated for injuries sustained in the accident.
The report added that the driver has since given a statement to security agencies and could face prosecution, following a visit to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office at the Sagamu interchange, where the truck involved in the crash is being held.
“Anthony Joshua’s driver has been discharged from the hospital, and he is currently giving his statement,” the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, told The Guardian.
An official of the FRSC also disclosed that the driver of the truck involved in the crash fled the scene immediately after the accident and was subsequently declared wanted.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) had earlier attributed the crash to a burst tyre and excessive speed.
TRACE said preliminary investigations showed that the front tyre on the passenger side of the SUV Joshua was travelling in burst, causing the driver to lose control before crashing into a stationary truck.
According to an AFP report, TRACE spokesperson Babatunde Akinbiyi told reporters, “From the preliminary investigation that was conducted, definitely there was overspeeding on the part of the SUV Anthony Joshua was travelling in.
“In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst. That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary truck that was parked. There was excessive speed….”
Joshua, 36, was taken to Duchess International Hospital in Lagos and is reported to be in stable condition.
However, two members of his team, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, died at the scene of the crash.
Matchroom Boxing confirmed the deaths in a statement, saying, “With profound sadness, it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, have tragically passed away.”
Matchroom chairman, Eddie Hearn, also reacted, stating, “With the heaviest of hearts. Two great men. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone.”
Meanwhile, Joshua’s family earlier raised concerns over their inability to see the boxer following the fatal accident.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the family’s Sagamu residence in Ijokun, Joshua’s uncle, Adedamola Joshua, said the incident came to the family as a “rude shock,” stressing that they were not immediately informed of the accident.
“Sincerely, the news that our son, Anthony Joshua, was involved in a fatal crash came to us as a rude shock,” he said.
“We did not get to hear this terrible news on time until calls started coming in from people seeking confirmation. Anthony comes home three or four times a year, especially during the festive season, and it is usually a time to rejoice with family. This was completely unexpected.”