Adevastating road accident has claimed the lives of three students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, in what authorities described as a “fatal multiple-vehicle collision” at Powerline Junction, before Aleje, inward Ikorodu Roundabout.
According to a press statement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the incident, which occurred earlier on Friday, involved a tipper truck “heavily laden with sand,” a Toyota Corolla (SMK 42 AJ), an MPV bus, and four tricycles.
Preliminary investigations, the agency said, revealed that the tipper “while travelling at an excessive speed, suffered a mechanical brake failure, causing the driver to lose control.”
The “runaway vehicle careened into other road users, colliding forcefully with multiple vehicles and tricycles in its path,” resulting in “devastating wreckage and loss of lives.”
LASTMA operatives were said to have responded “swiftly, in a coordinated and professional manner” to prevent further accidents and rescue the victims.
The agency noted that it was reinforced by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from Odongunyan Division and security personnel from the Shagamu Police Division.
“They rescued and swiftly conveyed seven critically injured victims to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while the three deceased casualtes were respectfully evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary,” the statement said.
Following the evacuation, “all wrecked vehicles were meticulously removed from the accident scene by LASTMA personnel to restore order and ensure the free flow of traffic along the corridor.”
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed “profound grief” over the tragedy and “extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased students,” praying for “divine strength and consolation to bear their irreparable loss.”
He also wished the injured victims “a swift and complete recovery,” describing the crash as “entirely avoidable.”
Bakare-Oki lamented the “recurring menace of recklessness, overspeeding, and poor vehicular maintenance, particularly defective braking systems,” which he said continue to cause fatal road crashes across Lagos.
He “sternly admonished all commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators to strictly adhere to statutory speed limits, undergo periodic mechanical checks, and uphold the highest standards of road discipline to preserve lives and property.”
Reaffirming the agency’s commitment, Bakare-Oki assured the public that LASTMA “remains steadfast in its mission to promote road safety, enforce traffic discipline, and ensure rapid emergency response across all parts of Lagos State.”
The statement was signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
