Passenger dies in Lagos lone crash

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

LAGOS — A passenger has died in a lone accident involving a commercial Volkswagen bus at Ogunlana Junction, inward Ojuelegba, in the Surulere area of Lagos.

The accident occurred at the weekend when the bus, with registration number LND 130 XR, reportedly rammed into a median pole at Ogunlana Junction by Fallout area.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said preliminary reports indicated that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and driving recklessly before the crash.

He said motorists approaching from behind had to exercise caution to avoid colliding with the erratically driven vehicle.

Bakare-Oki said that in the ensuing pandemonium, a male passenger attempting to escape from the moving bus reportedly jumped out and sustained serious injuries after hitting the ground.

He said the passenger later died from the injuries sustained in the incident.

LASTMA officials conducting routine traffic surveillance along the Ojuelegba axis swiftly mobilised to the scene, instituted emergency traffic management measures, secured the accident site and removed the deceased and the damaged vehicle from the carriageway.

The agency said the intervention helped to prevent a possible secondary collision and further danger to motorists and other road users.

Security personnel from the Area C Police Division, Ojuelegba, provided security cover at the scene, while officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU, evacuated the remains of the deceased.

Bakare-Oki described the incident as a grim reminder of the dangers associated with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and the operation of mechanically defective vehicles.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, he urged commercial and private motorists to conduct comprehensive mechanical checks on their vehicles before embarking on journeys, particularly the braking system, tyres, steering and other critical safety components.

He reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to prompt incident response, effective traffic management and the preservation of lives on Lagos roads.

Bakare-Oki also urged motorists to promptly report traffic-related incidents, accidents, vehicle breakdowns and obstructions through the LASTMA toll-free short code, 3367.

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