Eighteen persons, including a newlywed couple, were rescued from a ghastly motor accident on the Third Mainland Bridge, near Ilaje, inwards Iyana-Oworonsoki in Lagos on Saturday.
The auto crash, which was as a result of head-on collision, involved a mini truck and a commercial bus. The incident led to a heavy gridlock on the Third Mainland bridge, which stretched to the Iyana-Oworo axis of the state.
Confirming the near fatal incident in a statement sent to journalists, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed that the cause of the accident was due to excessive speeding from the commercial bus driver.
He noted that among the victims were a newlywed couple returning to the Mainland from the Ikoyi Marriage Registry.
According to him, “The accident involved a mini truck (AGL 22 YE) and a commercial LT bus (BFG 204 XF), was attributed to a brake failure on the LT bus, which was traveling at excessive speed. The bus collided with the mini truck, which was moving slowly due to mechanical difficulties.
“A total of 16 passengers seated in the rear of the LT bus—11 women and 5 men—sustained significant injuries and were swiftly transported to the Lagos State Trauma and Emergency Centre near the Toll Gate on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for urgent medical care.
“Two additional passengers seated at the front of the LT commercial bus were trapped in the wreckage and suffered severe fractures to their limbs. They were extricated with the combined efforts of LASTMA personnel, emergency responders and concerned bystanders. These victims were later rushed to Gbagada General Hospital for specialized treatment.”
The LASTMA spokesman, however, added that the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASABUS) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit (LRU) facilitated the swift evacuation of all casualties to medical facilities.
Similarly, law enforcement officers from Alonge Police Station and operatives of the Lagos State Task Force provided critical security support at the accident scene, ensuring orderliness during the rescue operation.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sympathy for the injured victims, and wished them a speedy recovery.
He underscored the importance of observing speed limits and maintaining vehicles in optimal condition, particularly the braking system, to prevent such tragedies.
Bakare-Oki further highlighted the intensified public enlightenment campaigns led by LASTMA’s Female Elite Corps, which aimed to educate motorists—especially commercial bus operators—on safe driving practices before, during and beyond the festive season.
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