A tragic road accident claimed the lives of eight people in the early hours of Sunday when a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus collided head-on with a DAF truck at Atura Bus Stop, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The incident, confirmed by the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olalekan Bakare-Oki, involved a commercial bus with registration number KJA 811 YF and a DAF truck bearing the plate number T1 4636 LA.
According to Bakare-Oki, the crash instantly killed eight passengers, including the driver and conductor of the ill-fated bus. Eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were promptly rushed to the General Hospital in Badagry for urgent medical attention by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
A coordinated emergency response involving LASTMA operatives, FRSC personnel, the Nigeria Police (Morogbo Division), and soldiers from the 244 Battalion, Ibereko Barracks, ensured timely rescue and evacuation efforts at the scene.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the commercial bus driver was speeding and lost control before crashing into the truck. The impact of the collision was described as devastating, giving little chance of survival to many occupants of the bus.
Bakare-Oki, who personally visited the crash site, extended condolences to the families of the deceased and described the tragedy as a painful reminder of the need for responsible road use.
“This heart-wrenching incident underscores the fragility of life. No journey should end this way. We pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and strength for their loved ones,” he said.
He also wished the surviving victims a speedy and full recovery and issued a strong warning to commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators to prioritize safety.
“This regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided if the basic tenets of defensive driving and vehicle maintenance had been observed. Speed remains a silent killer on our roads,” he warned.
Bakare-Oki emphasized LASTMA’s new focus on incident management as part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which promotes emergency preparedness, urban mobility, and road safety reforms.
“We are no longer just traffic controllers; we are first responders and life savers. That’s the new direction of traffic administration in Lagos,” he said.
He also revealed that speed-limiting devices have been deployed at key flashpoints across the state as part of ongoing efforts to reduce road fatalities.
While commending the swift intervention of sister agencies, Bakare-Oki praised LASTMA officers for their professionalism and courage in managing the accident’s aftermath.
“The Lagos State Government, through LASTMA, remains fully committed to safeguarding lives, promoting order, and creating a safer commuting environment for all,” he added.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Badagry General Hospital mortuary.