Africa-Press – Nigeria. A male motorist has lost his life, while his wife sustained critical injuries following a fatal road traffic accident involving a granite-laden articulated truck and a Toyota saloon car at Eleko Junction along the Lekki–Ajah Expressway in Lagos State.
The tragic incident occurred early on Thursday and prompted an immediate emergency response from operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
According to the report revealed to DAILY POST correspondent, the articulated truck, which was heavily loaded with granite and reportedly travelling at high speed from the Epe axis, was approaching Eleko Junction when it suffered a sudden brake failure.
The mechanical fault caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, forcing it off its lane and into the path of a Toyota saloon car travelling from Ajah inward Epe.
The impact was described as forceful, with the truck overturning and landing directly on the smaller vehicle, crushing it under its weight.
Authoritative reports indicated that the driver of the Toyota saloon car became trapped inside the wreckage.
Through a coordinated rescue effort involving LASTMA officials, personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and assistance from public-spirited bystanders, the victim was eventually extricated from the mangled vehicle.
He was, however, pronounced dead at the scene.
His wife, who was seated in the front passenger seat at the time of the crash, sustained life-threatening injuries and was rescued alive.
Both the remains of the deceased and the injured woman were evacuated from the scene by an FRSC ambulance for necessary medical and mortuary procedures.
Meanwhile, the driver of the articulated truck reportedly fled the scene immediately after the victim was recovered, evading responsibility and lawful accountability.
Security reinforcement at the accident scene was provided by operatives of the Akodo Police Division, who maintained order and ensured safety throughout the rescue and recovery operations.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life, describing the crash as a painful and avoidable tragedy.
“This unfortunate incident is deeply distressing and preventable,” Bakare-Oki said, while extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
He also offered prayers for the speedy and full recovery of the injured spouse and reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to enforcing traffic regulations, particularly against reckless driving, mechanical negligence and other serious violations of road safety laws.
In a related incident later the same day, a 33,000-litre fuel tanker caught fire around midnight at Ile-Zik inward Magboro along the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway.
LASTMA’s Rescue Team, working in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, responded promptly and succeeded in containing and extinguishing the fire before it escalated into a major disaster.
To facilitate emergency operations and ensure public safety, traffic was temporarily diverted into the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor by LASTMA officials. The affected section of the road was reopened to motorists after firefighting and recovery efforts were concluded.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property on Lagos roads and urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules, ensure vehicle roadworthiness and exercise caution at all times.
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