Two dispatch riders were tragically killed in a crash involving two fully loaded Mack trucks on Lagos’ Eko Bridge on Sunday.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s (LASTMA) Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, preliminary findings indicate that the driver of one of the articulated trucks lost control of the vehicle while allegedly driving at an excessive speed while dozing off.
He stated that the truck then collided with another moving truck ahead of it, resulting in a forceful impact.
According to Taofiq, this devastating collision caused a 20-foot container to come loose from one of the trucks, crushing two gullible dispatch riders who were on the road at the time. At the site, both individuals were pronounced dead.
He continued by saying that one seriously injured truck driver was immediately rescued thanks to the prompt and well-coordinated response of LASTMA personnel, who were on routine traffic monitoring duty beneath the Eko Bridge.
According to reports, the driver received immediate medical assistance and was driven in a Lagos State Government ambulance to a nearby hospital.
But the remaining two truck drivers were said to have absconded from the scene, presumably out of fear of the grim aftermath.
To forestall further incidents and safeguard other road users, LASTMA said its personnel immediately cordoned off the affected stretch of the bridge and redirected vehicular traffic through the Coastain Roundabout inward Alaka en route to Stadium.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, in his message of condolence to the bereaved families, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives.
He reiterated the critical importance of responsible driving, particularly for operators of articulated vehicles.
He urged all drivers to exercise utmost caution, maintain full alertness, and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before commencing any journey.
Bakare-Oki further emphasized the Agency’s ongoing, robust public enlightenment campaigns aimed at instilling safety consciousness among drivers, especially those operating heavy-duty vehicles.
LASTMA said investigations are currently underway to trace and apprehend the fleeing drivers involved in the fatal crash.
Other emergency responders at the scene of the accident include Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LSNSC), State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) and Police man from Iporin Division of the State.
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