By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Pandemonium broke out in the early hours of Wednesday at Iyana Meiran Bus Stop along the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway following a tragic auto crash that claimed the lives of two persons and left three others critically injured.
The fatal accident, which involved a Dangote Cement silo mixer truck, a commercial mini bus (popularly known as Korope), and four tricycles, threw the area into chaos as sympathisers wailed uncontrollably at the scene.
Eyewitnesses said the truck, reportedly coming from the Sango Ota axis, lost its brakes and rammed into the mini bus and tricycles that were parked at the bus stop waiting to pick up passengers.
As of the time of filing this report, one corpse was seen lying on the road, while another victim remained trapped inside the mangled mini bus before rescue operations were concluded. The accident also caused severe traffic congestion along the busy expressway, disrupting vehicular movement for several hours.
Emergency responders were swiftly deployed to the scene to rescue victims and clear the wreckage.
Residents and road users expressed outrage and grief over the recurring involvement of heavy-duty trucks, particularly cement trucks, in fatal road crashes. Many called on authorities and relevant stakeholders to urgently address safety concerns surrounding the operation of such vehicles, noting that repeated accidents continue to claim innocent lives and family breadwinners.
LASTMA Reacts
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said two persons died instantly, while three others sustained critical injuries.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said preliminary findings revealed that the accident was caused by a Dangote Silo Mixer Truck which, while being driven at an excessive speed, suffered a sudden brake failure and lost control.
According to him, the runaway truck rammed into a mini bus with registration number EPP 541 YF and four tricycles with registration numbers KTU 360 QN, LND 444 QL, LSR 444 QN, and EKY 122 QP.
“The violent impact resulted in extensive destruction, trapping commuters amid mangled vehicles and twisted wreckage,” he said.
Bakare-Oki explained that LASTMA personnel, with the assistance of public-spirited individuals, swiftly rescued and evacuated the three severely injured victims trapped in the crushed vehicles.
“To prevent secondary accidents, the entire corridor was cordoned off, while comprehensive traffic control and diversion measures were immediately put in place,” he added.
He said officers of the Meiran Police Division were promptly notified, and the Divisional Police Officer personally led a team to provide security support during the rescue and recovery operations.
Regrettably, the driver of the Dangote Silo Mixer Truck fled the scene upon realising the gravity of the incident.
Bakare-Oki said all injured victims were taken to Mobonke Hospital, Meiran Road, for urgent medical attention, while the remains of the deceased were handed over to the Nigeria Police for further procedures.
Reiterating LASTMA’s commitment to the protection of lives and property on Lagos roads, Bakare-Oki urged motorists—especially operators of heavy-duty vehicles—to ensure that their braking systems and other critical components are thoroughly inspected and certified roadworthy before embarking on any journey.
He also warned against excessive speeding, stressing that mechanical negligence and speed violations remain major and avoidable causes of fatal road crashes, and appealed to all road users to adhere strictly to traffic regulations in the interest of public safety.
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