The sheer force of the collision reportedly sent shockwaves through the busy Oshodi axis, triggering severe traffic disruption and posing an immediate and existential threat to lives, property and critical infrastructure within the surrounding vicinity.
The Lagos State Government has expressed concern over a harrowing road traffic catastrophe that unfolded at the crest of Apakun Bridge, inward Oshodi, involving a heavy-duty truck laden with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and a privately owned motor vehicle.
According to preliminary security and traffic assessments, the truck, bearing registration number EKY 120 YK, was reportedly driven at an outrageously excessive and perilous speed, in brazen violation of established traffic safety standards.
The articulated vehicle violently rammed into a moving silver-coloured Toyota Corolla with registration number EKY 289 HM at the highly strategic and vulnerable apex of the Apakun Bridge corridor, a statement signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), said on Sunday.
The sheer force of the collision reportedly sent shockwaves through the busy Oshodi axis, triggering severe traffic disruption and posing an immediate and existential threat to lives, property and critical infrastructure within the surrounding vicinity.
In the unfortunate aftermath of the crash, two unsuspecting pedestrians were struck during the chain of impact, while the driver of the Toyota Corolla sustained grave and debilitating injuries.
Meanwhile, officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) swiftly mobilised to the scene.
“In the unfortunate aftermath of the incident, two unsuspecting pedestrians were struck in the course of the collision, while the driver of the Toyota Corolla sustained grave and debilitating injuries,” the statement said.
The operatives coordinated an effective rescue intervention and successfully extricated the injured victims from the mangled wreckage, despite the high-risk environment created by the gas-laden truck.
The injured pedestrians and the severely wounded Corolla driver were promptly conveyed to a nearby medical facility, where they are currently receiving intensive and life-preserving medical treatment, according to official sources.
To ensure public safety and maintain order throughout the rescue and evacuation operations, personnel of the Ajao Estate Police Division provided robust security reinforcement at the scene.
However, their presence helped forestall secondary incidents, controlled the swelling crowd and guaranteed an unhindered and seamless emergency response.
Given the inherent danger posed by the truck’s highly combustible CNG cargo, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) alongside officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were strategically deployed to the scene as a precautionary measure.
The emergency responders remained on high alert and standby to manage any potential fire or explosion arising from the gas-laden vehicle.
Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable Sola Giwa, vehemently condemned the alarming frequency of road traffic accidents linked to reckless overspeeding, particularly among operators of trucks, tankers and other articulated vehicles.
Giwa described such conduct as egregiously irresponsible, dangerously negligent and wholly antithetical to the Lagos State Government’s overarching vision of building a safe, orderly and efficiently regulated transportation ecosystem in Africa’s largest megacity.
He issued an unequivocal and stern warning to all operators of articulated vehicles, tankers and trucks to comply strictly and without exception with extant traffic laws and prescribed speed limits.
The Special Adviser stressed that the Lagos State Government would not hesitate to unleash the full weight of the law on any individual or operator found culpable of endangering human lives through reckless or unlawful driving practices.
While expressing the government’s firm resolve on enforcement, Giwa also conveyed his heartfelt prayers and best wishes for the speedy and complete recovery of the injured pedestrians and the driver of the Toyota Corolla.
He reassured residents of Lagos State of the government’s unwavering commitment to road safety, proactive traffic management and the protection of all categories of road users, including pedestrians who remain the most vulnerable on the highways.
In a reaffirmation of its statutory mandate, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) renewed its call for heightened collective responsibility on the roads.
The agency urged all motorists to exercise prudence, observe stipulated speed limits and adhere strictly to traffic regulations in the overriding interest of public safety.