A tragic road accident on the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos has claimed the lives of four passengers, while leaving four others critically injured after a heavy truck collided with a commercial minibus.
The incident, which occurred over the weekend opposite Beechwood, Shapati, inward Ajah, deepened the recurrent dangers on Nigeria’s busy highways.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the crash in a statement issued on Sunday, 15 March, 2025, by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of a HOWO articulated truck, registered as KNN 313 YL, lost control while in motion, veering across the carriageway and smashing into an oncoming fully loaded Suzuki commercial minibus, locally known as a “Korope.”
The crash impacted the minibus, trapping several passengers inside the wreckage. Emergency responders, including LASTMA officials, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) personnel, and good Samaritans, swiftly mobilized to the scene for a coordinated rescue operation.
The four survivors, who sustained severe injuries including multiple fractures, were rushed to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical attention.
Meanwhile, the remains of the four deceased passengers were evacuated using an FRSC ambulance and deposited at Shency Hospital Morgue.
Security forces from the Elemoro Police Division secured the area, ensuring safe operations amid the chaos, while the truck driver and his motorboy fled the scene immediately after the collision.
The police have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause and apprehend the fleeing suspects. LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki expressed profound grief over the loss, extending condolences to the bereaved families and urging a speedy recovery for the injured.
This accident added to an alarming pattern of fatal crashes in Lagos, where heavy vehicles frequently contribute to fatalities due to loss of control, speeding, and poor maintenance.
Just last week, another incident on the Oworonsoki-Apapa Expressway killed one person and injured six when a bus crashed into a culvert, ejecting a passenger who was fatally struck by an oncoming truck.
Earlier in the year, multiple collisions on major routes like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Lekki-Ajah corridor claimed several lives, including worshippers crushed by a sand-laden truck in Epe.
Authorities continued to call for stricter adherence to traffic rules, especially by articulated truck operators, to curb these preventable tragedies on Lagos roads.
According to statistics by FRSC for 2025, the total crashes across the country increased by 9.2 per cent, from 9,570 in 2024 to 10,446 in 2025. Fatal accidents also surged by 10.5 per cent, rising from 6,131 cases in 2024 to 6,772 in 2025. Minor crashes saw an even sharper increase of 17.5 per cent, jumping from 907 to 1,066 within the same period.