A tragic accident has claimed the lives of a father, mother, and their young child on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday. The fatal crash occurred at the Secretariat area, inward Otedola Bridge, and involved multiple vehicles.
The Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the incident in a statement released shortly after the crash.
According to Taofiq, preliminary investigations revealed that the accident involved an Audi, a Toyota Camry, and a Toyota Corolla. The collision was triggered when a heavily loaded truck, travelling at excessive speed, rammed into one of the vehicles from the rear. The force of the impact caused the affected vehicle to lose control and collide with two others, resulting in a chain reaction that led to the deaths of the three family members.
He described the accident as catastrophic, noting that the victims died instantly, while two additional persons sustained critical injuries. He stated that the tragic outcome highlights the severe danger of reckless driving practices on major highways.
In a troubling turn of events, the driver of the truck reportedly fled the scene immediately after the crash. He escaped with the vehicle, abandoning the victims and evading responsibility for the fatal incident.
Taofiq noted that LASTMA operatives responded swiftly and worked in close coordination with emergency agencies to rescue survivors and recover the deceased. Two critically injured victims who were trapped in the wreckage were carefully extricated and transported by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service for urgent medical treatment.
The remains of the father, mother, and child were respectfully recovered and handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for prompt evacuation. The surviving victims were rushed to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre at the Toll Gate for comprehensive care.
Security personnel from the Isheri Olowora Police Division provided vital operational support throughout the rescue operation. LASTMA officials later cleared the accident vehicles from the main carriageway in order to prevent further incidents and restore the free flow of traffic.
The coordinated response involved the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASAMBUS, the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, and SEHMU. This multi agency collaboration, Taofiq said, reflects a strong and unified commitment to saving lives and maintaining roadway safety.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare Oki, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of an entire family in such tragic circumstances. He described the incident as heartbreaking and prayed for strength and comfort for the relatives of the deceased. He also wished the injured victims a speedy and full recovery.
Bakare Oki lamented that the crash could have been prevented, noting that excessive speed, especially by drivers of articulated and heavily loaded trucks, remains one of the leading causes of fatal accidents across the country. He urged motorists to exercise caution, comply with speed limits, and embrace defensive driving habits at all times.
He assured Lagos residents that LASTMA will continue to strengthen traffic surveillance, enforce safety regulations, and work closely with security and emergency agencies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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