Eight persons have been confirmed dead after a fully loaded 16-seater bus had a head-on collision with an oncoming truck along the Lagos- Badagry Expressway.
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, in a statement said investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial bus lost control while navigating at a high speed, leading to a catastrophic collision with a DAF truck.
Adebayo, however, described the impact of the accident as ‘cataclysmic,’ leaving little chance for evasion or survival for several occupants of the bus.
“LASTMA profoundly regrets to announce a grievous and fatal road traffic collision which occurred today at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, involving a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus, registration number KJA 811 YF, and a DAF truck, marked T1 4636 LA.
“The tragic accident instantly claimed the lives of eight passengers, including the driver of the ill-fated bus and his conductor, casting a sombre pall over the Badagry axis and leaving the community in profound mourning and collective grief,” Adebayo said.
He added that LASTMA operatives, in concert with personnel from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force (Morogbo Division), and the 244 Battalion of the Nigerian Army (Ibereko Barracks), swiftly launched a coordinated rescue operation at the accident scene.
“Their timely intervention led to the successful extraction of eight surviving passengers, all of whom sustained varying degrees of trauma,” he said.
The casualties were however evacuated immediately to the General Hospital in Badagry via an FRSC vehicle for critical medical attention.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial bus lost control while navigating at a perilously high speed, leading to a catastrophic collision with a DAF truck.
“The resultant impact was described as cataclysmic, leaving little chance for evasion or survival for several occupants of the bus,” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, visited the crash site and issued a stern admonition to commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators.
He urged them to avoid excessive speeding, adhere strictly to safety protocols, and ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles to avoid unnecessary fatalities.
“This heart-wrenching incident is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution.
“No journey should end in such tragedy. May the Almighty grant the deceased eternal rest and console those left behind,” he solemnly declared.
He added that the regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided if the basic tenets of defensive driving and vehicular safety had been upheld. “Speed remains a silent killer on our highways,” he warned emphatically.
He also highlighted the deployment of speed-limiting mechanisms at critical flashpoints across Lagos—part of the State Government’s broader commitment to reducing road carnage, protecting commuters, and fostering a culture of compliance and safety.
The LASTMA commended the FRSC, the Nigeria Police, and the Nigerian Army for their swift, coordinated, and patriotic intervention, which helped to contain the tragic fallout of the accident.
He further appealed to all road users to demonstrate heightened caution, situational awareness, and civic responsibility, particularly on intercity corridors where speed, fatigue, and inattention too often yield devastating consequences.
