Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Claims More Lives as Three Women Die in Long Bridge Crash
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Claims More Lives as Three Women Die in Long Bridge Crash
The recurring tragedy on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has again come under focus after three women lost their lives and 10 other people sustained injuries in a multiple-vehicle accident on the Long Bridge on Friday.
The latest tragedy occurred barely two weeks after seven people were killed and two others injured in another multiple crash around the Kara axis of the same Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, raising fresh concerns over speeding and road safety on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.
According to the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Friday’s accident occurred at about 5:24 p.m. near Mikano on the Long Bridge, inward Lagos.
The crash involved three vehicles — a white Toyota bus with registration number KJA 247 YM, a Toyota Corolla marked BDG 867 HG and a white Mazda bus with registration number AGL 891 XX.
TRACE spokesperson Babatunde Akinbiyi said 16 people, comprising 12 men and four women, were involved in the accident.
Three female adults were confirmed dead, while 10 other victims — nine men and one woman — sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Preliminary accounts indicated that excessive speeding and loss of control contributed to the crash, with one of the vehicles somersaulting off the bridge and plunging into a ditch.
The severity of the accident triggered a multi-agency emergency operation involving TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps, police personnel and the Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Service.
Six injured passengers were evacuated to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Service, while other victims were taken to different medical facilities for treatment.
Two of the deceased were deposited at the General Hospital, Ifo morgue, while another victim was taken to the Idera Hospital morgue in Sagamu.
The affected vehicle was subsequently recovered from the ditch and moved alongside the other vehicles to the Warewa Police Station for further investigation.
The evacuation operation temporarily affected traffic flow on the busy expressway before normal movement was restored.
The latest deaths have again highlighted the dangers associated with excessive speeding and loss of control on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
On August 24, seven people were killed and two others injured in another three-vehicle crash around the Kara section of the expressway, with speed violation identified as a suspected cause.
The recurrence of fatal crashes along the corridor underscores the need for motorists, particularly commercial drivers, to observe speed limits and other road safety regulations.
For thousands of Nigerians who travel the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway daily, Friday’s tragedy is another reminder that speeding can turn an ordinary journey into a fatal one within seconds.
