One person was killed and two others sustained varying degrees of injuries in two separate road crashes that occurred within hours of each other on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Friday, with rescue operations still ongoing as of press time.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, said the first crash claimed one life while another victim was injured after five articulated trucks and a Toyota Sienna vehicle collided on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan. A second crash involving a Mazda commercial bus on the inbound lane left the driver seriously injured after the vehicle reportedly suffered brake failure.
According to the FRSC, the first accident occurred at about 12:05 a.m. and involved seven adult males. Preliminary investigations attributed the crash to excessive speed and loss of control.
The Corps disclosed that one of the victims died at the scene while another sustained injuries, with five others escaping unhurt. It added that the deceased’s body remained trapped beneath one of the heavily loaded trucks, requiring heavy-duty recovery equipment before evacuation could be completed.
While emergency responders were carrying out rescue and recovery operations, another accident occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos.
The FRSC said the lone crash involving a Mazda commercial bus was caused by brake failure. The injured driver was rescued by the FRSC emergency response team and taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment.
Meanwhile, rescue teams from the FRSC, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other emergency responders are still working to remove the crashed vehicles, recover the trapped victim and clear the obstruction to restore the free flow of traffic.
Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat, sympathised with the families of the victims and appealed to motorists to cooperate with traffic management officials while recovery operations continue.
He advised motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to avoid the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor where possible and use alternative routes to minimise delays.
According to the FRSC, motorists travelling from Lagos towards Ibadan should divert through the Ikorodu-Sagamu route, while those heading into Lagos should consider the Lekki-Epe Expressway or the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway.
The Corps also urged motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles and commercial buses, to ensure their vehicles are mechanically sound before embarking on any journey.
It stressed the need to pay particular attention to braking systems, avoid unnecessary night travel, reduce speed during poor visibility, maintain safe following distances, avoid dangerous overtaking and take adequate rest to prevent fatigue-related crashes.
The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of road users, saying it would continue to work with relevant emergency and traffic management agencies to restore normal traffic flow on the affected section of the expressway.
