A Lagos State staff bus driver, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, has been remanded in prison by Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja. He was charged with 16 counts of involuntary manslaughter and causing grievous harm after a collision between his bus and a moving train resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to several others.
According to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Babajide Martins, the driver allegedly ignored warning signals and collided with an oncoming train, leading to the fatal accident. The DPP also claimed that the driver caused grievous harm to 10 other passengers on the bus. The incident occurred on March 9 at the Shogunle Level Crossing in Ikeja.
The charges against Osibanjo contravene sections 244 and 245 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the arraignment, the defence lawyer, Lekan Egberongbe, urged the court to remand Osibanjo in police custody due to his health condition. However, Justice Ogala ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison, stating that the court lacked the medical report of the defendant and lacked the power to remand him in police custody.
The tragic train collision has brought attention to the need for increased caution and safety measures in the country’s transportation sector. The Lagos State Government has also called for improved road and rail infrastructure to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.
The Lagos BRT driver’s remand for manslaughter serves as a warning to other drivers to prioritize road safety to avoid similar incidents. It is essential to adhere to traffic rules and regulations to avoid preventable accidents that result in the loss of lives and property.