The primary crash involved a violent collision between two heavy-duty trailers, one laden with sand and the other conveying granite, reportedly caused by a reckless struggle for the right of way.
A truck driver has been confirmed dead in the multiple fatal road traffic accidents involving articulated vehicles at Otedola Bridge inward Secretariat along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on Friday morning.
The primary crash involved a violent collision between two heavy-duty trailers, one laden with sand and the other conveying granite, reportedly caused by a reckless struggle for the right of way.
The impact left the driver of the sand-laden trailer trapped in the wreckage with critical injuries, leading to his death, according to a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq.
Taofiq stated that operatives of the LASTMA Rescue Team, who were on routine surveillance and incident monitoring, responded promptly to the scene.
He said the trapped driver was extricated and immediately handed over to officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), who rushed him to the General Hospital, Ikeja, where he was later confirmed dead by medical personnel.
Meanwhile, the driver of the second trailer involved in the collision was rescued alive and reportedly escaped unhurt.
While rescue operations were ongoing, Taofiq noted that another accident occurred approximately 50 metres from the initial crash site, where a separate truck, fully loaded with flour, lost control and overturned.
Taofiq stated that security operatives from the Alausa Police Division were deployed to the scene to provide security cover, manage crowd control and support rescue and recovery efforts.
He said the multiple accidents obstructed nearly 80 per cent of the carriageway, crippling traffic flow into Lagos.
As a result, he said LASTMA implemented extensive traffic diversion measures, leading to motorists travelling from the Mowe, Kara Bridge and Redemption Camp axis being diverted through the Ojodu–Olole route, linking Agidingbi, Coca-Cola, Secretariat and 7-Up areas to maintain access towards Gbagada and Ojota.
Reacting to the incidents, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, described the crashes as regrettable and largely avoidable, attributing them to impatience, indiscipline and failure to yield among drivers on the expressway.
He urged motorists, particularly operators of heavy-duty vehicles, to strictly comply with traffic regulations and exercise mutual courtesy to prevent needless loss of lives.
Giwa extended his condolences to the family of the deceased driver and commended the swift and coordinated response of LASTMA operatives, the Lagos State Ambulance Service and security agencies in managing the emergency situation.
He reiterated the Lagos State Government’s commitment to road safety, warning that reckless driving and disregard for traffic laws would not be tolerated, as enforcement efforts would continue to be intensified across the state.