At least six persons have been confirmed dead, whilst 23 others suffered various injuries after a vehicle conveying cattle and commuters somersaulted near the Foursquare Camp entrance along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.
It was gathered on Monday from the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Afolabi Odunsi, that the mishap occurred around 12 noon.
Odunsi disclosed that the collision resulted from excessive speeding and failure to maintain vehicular control.
He stated that 29 individuals were caught up in the tragedy, with 23 sustaining wounds and six succumbing to death.
The FRSC spokesman said, “The Federal Road Safety Corps Ogun Sector Command records a fatal vehicular collision on the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway in the vicinity of the Foursquare Camp locality earlier today.
“A DAF CF 380 articulated vehicle bearing registration number SNA 287 XA was implicated in the solo crash.
“A total of 29 individuals were affected; 23 persons sustained injuries whilst six persons lost their lives.”
He decried the habit of transporting livestock alongside human beings, noting that such practices complicate evacuation efforts and potentially escalate fatalities during collisions.
The Ogun FRSC image-maker added that inquiries had been instituted to ascertain the specific technical defect accountable for the tragedy.
“Whenever a collision occurs, it becomes challenging to distinguish humans from cargo, which may ultimately result in loss of lives. It was a fatal single-automobile collision,” he stated.
He equally disclosed that 29 cattle perished in the wreckage.
“Enquiries are progressing to establish the accurate mechanical and contributory elements.
“The wounded and deceased were conveyed to Oreoluwa Hospital, GOFAMINT Camp, Ogunmakin, and Victory Hospital, Ogere,” Odunsi disclosed.
He appealed to vehicle owners to guarantee adequate maintenance of their automobiles, adhere to recommended speed thresholds, and comply with highway safety directives.
In a separate occurrence, six travellers sustained multiple injuries on Monday following a vehicular collision involving a commercial transport on the Third Mainland Bridge, towards Iyana-Oworonsoki, Lagos State.
It was gathered from a notification endorsed by the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr Taofiq Adebayo, on Monday that the incident involved a painted Volkswagen commercial transport bearing registration number KRD 436 XF, reportedly laden with commuters and domestic belongings during the occurrence.
He revealed that the transport allegedly experienced an abrupt technical malfunction of its braking mechanism whilst in transit, prompting the operator to forfeit control before the automobile eventually overturned onto its flank.
Consequently, six commuters, constituting two grown males and four grown females, sustained grave wounds, whilst one casualty reportedly suffered a severe optical injury.
The notification read, “Preliminary findings reveal that the heavily laden commercial transport, ferrying commuters alongside assorted domestic belongings, allegedly experienced an abrupt and catastrophic technical malfunction of its braking mechanism whilst in transit.
This mechanical defect precipitated a forfeiture of automobile control, culminating in the transport overturning onto its flank.
“The calamitous occurrence resulted in six commuters, constituting two grown males and four grown females, sustaining grave bodily wounds, whilst one commuter suffered a severe optical injury at the point of impact.
“Officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who were actively stationed on routine surveillance assignments within the affected corridor, responded with exemplary swiftness and operational proficiency. Through a well-synchronised emergency intervention, all six critically wounded casualties were successfully extracted from the wreckage.”
He added that certain benevolent individuals swiftly ferried four of the wounded commuters to an undisclosed healthcare facility for urgent treatment.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Adekunle Division, were equally reported to have rendered vital assistance by transporting one male casualty who sustained multiple fractures to a hospital for intensive healthcare.
“Furthermore, operatives of the Lagos State Ambulance Service administered immediate on-location healthcare attention to another wounded commuter at the scene of the occurrence.
“To forestall secondary collisions and swiftly reinstate vehicular circulation, LASTMA operatives guaranteed the prompt evacuation and clearance of the accident automobile from the highway,” he added.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, in the notification sympathised with the wounded commuters and their relations, whilst wishing them expeditious and complete recuperation.
“He further utilised the occasion to deliver a stern caution to the motoring populace, particularly commercial transport handlers, to abandon the hazardous habit of automobile overloading and to accord supreme priority to routine mechanical evaluations, with particular emphasis on braking mechanisms, before commencing journeys within or beyond Lagos State.
“Hon. Giwa reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s dedication to the preservation of lives and assets across its highway networks, emphasising that acts of preventable negligence and mechanical irresponsibility would persistently attract stringent regulatory penalties,” the notification concluded.