Four people have died and four others sustained serious injuries following a road crash involving a truck and a commercial minibus along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to the agency, the accident occurred during the weekend at Beechwood, Shapati area near Ajah, along the busy Lekki–Epe corridor.
LASTMA said the crash involved a fully loaded Suzuki commercial minibus, popularly known as “Korope,” and a HOWO truck with registration number KNN 313 YL.
Preliminary findings indicated that the truck driver lost control of the vehicle while in motion, veered off its lane and rammed into the oncoming passenger minibus.
The impact of the collision led to the immediate death of four male passengers in the minibus. Four other occupants—two men and two women—suffered severe fractures after becoming trapped in the wreckage of the vehicle.
Officials of LASTMA, supported by other emergency responders and bystanders, quickly arrived at the scene and rescued the victims from the crushed minibus.
The Federal Road Safety Corps evacuated the bodies of the deceased to the Shency Hospital Mortuary, while the injured victims were taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Police officers from the Elemoro Police Division secured the accident scene and maintained order during the rescue operation.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. Officials also disclosed that the truck driver and his motor boy fled the scene after the accident.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He also commended the swift and coordinated efforts of emergency responders involved in the rescue operation.
Bakare-Oki urged motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, to obey traffic regulations, exercise caution on the roads and adopt responsible driving habits to prevent avoidable accidents.
