Motorist killed, wife critically injured as truck crushes car in Lagos
Motorist Dies, Wife Injured in Lagos Traffic Accident
A male motorist died, and his wife sustained critical injuries following a collision between a granite-laden articulated truck and a Toyota saloon car at Eleko Junction on the Lekki–Ajah Expressway in Lagos State early Thursday morning.
Emergency services, including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), responded swiftly to the scene. According to reports, the truck, heavily loaded with granite and allegedly traveling at high speed from the Epe axis, experienced a sudden brake failure as it approached Eleko Junction. This malfunction caused the driver to lose control, sending the vehicle off its lane and into the path of the Toyota, which was traveling toward Epe.
The collision was severe, resulting in the truck overturning and crushing the smaller vehicle beneath its weight. The driver of the Toyota became trapped in the wreckage; despite the coordinated rescue efforts by LASTMA officials, personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and bystanders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, who was seated in the front passenger seat, survived but suffered life-threatening injuries.
Both the deceased and the injured woman were transported from the scene in an FRSC ambulance for further medical and mortuary procedures.
The driver of the truck reportedly fled the scene immediately after the victim was extricated. Security personnel from the Akodo Police Division were on-site to maintain order during the rescue and recovery operations.
Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, expressed condolences to the victim’s family and characterized the crash as a tragic and preventable event. He extended prayers for the injured wife’s swift recovery and reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to enforcing traffic laws to deter reckless driving and mechanical negligence.
In a separate incident later that same day, a 33,000-litre fuel tanker caught fire around midnight near Ile-Zik on the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway. LASTMA’s Rescue Team, in conjunction with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, contained the blaze before it grew into a major disaster. Traffic was temporarily diverted into the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor to facilitate emergency operations, and the affected section of the road was reopened after firefighting efforts concluded.
LASTMA reiterated its commitment to ensuring safety on Lagos roads and urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic regulations and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy.
