By Ayo Ayodele
Tragedy struck in the Ajah area of Lagos State over the weekend when a truck rammed into a commercial bus along the Lekki–Epe Expressway, leaving four passengers dead and four others seriously injured.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident on Sunday, stating that the crash involved an articulated truck with registration number KNN 313 YL and a fully loaded Suzuki commercial mini-bus, popularly known as “Korope.”
According to LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the force of the collision led to the instant death of four male passengers. Four other occupants of the bus—two men and two women—sustained severe fractures after becoming trapped in the wreckage.
Emergency responders and officials of LASTMA quickly arrived at the scene and, with the assistance of other rescue personnel and passersby, worked to extricate the victims from the damaged vehicle.
The injured victims were immediately taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated and deposited at the Shency Hospital morgue by an ambulance belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Preliminary findings indicated that the driver of the articulated truck lost control while the vehicle was in motion, causing it to veer off its lane and crash into the oncoming commercial bus carrying passengers along the busy expressway.
Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Elemoro Police Division were also present at the scene to maintain order and ensure the safety of rescue workers and other road users.
Authorities said investigations have commenced to determine the exact cause of the accident. Meanwhile, the truck driver and his assistant reportedly fled the scene shortly after the crash.
truck rams into commercial bus