AT least five people lost their lives, and five others sustained injuries today in two separate road accidents that occurred along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the first crash happened in the early hours of the day at Abijo Bus Stop, under the pedestrian bridge, inbound the Epe corridor.
A Mitsubishi pickup van (registration number AKD 733 JM), reportedly speeding, lost control and rammed into stationary equipment belonging to Craneburg Construction Company.
The collision resulted in the death of four occupants—three men and one woman—who were pronounced dead at the scene.
LASTMA officials were able to rescue three other female passengers from the wreckage. The survivors were stabilized and handed over to officers from the Eleko Division of the Nigeria Police Force, who transported them to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care.
In a separate incident later that night, a Toyota Escort SUV, also travelling at high speed, crashed into a parked Dangote truck around the Frajend Group area, inbound Bogije.
The impact claimed the life of the SUV’s driver.
Two passengers, severely injured and trapped inside the wreckage, were rescued in a delicate extraction operation by LASTMA officers and subsequently taken to a medical facility by police from the Elemoro Division.
LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, quoted the agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, as expressing deep sorrow over the incidents.
He described the accidents as preventable tragedies and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
“These incidents are heartbreaking reminders of the dangers associated with reckless driving, particularly excessive speeding,” Bakare-Oki stated. “The Lagos State Government has invested heavily in traffic control measures, including speed limit signs and safety infrastructure, to prevent such occurrences.”
He urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules, warning that violations of speed regulations continue to be a major contributor to road fatalities across the state.