One person has been confirmed dead, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a road traffic accident that occurred at the Saapade section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday.
The accident reportedly happened in the early hours of the day at the Uncle Abbey Block Industry area, close to the Isara-Remo/Erimobi Bridge, inbound Lagos-Ibadan. The incident involved a Volvo intercooler truck conveying farm produce.
Confirming the crash, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said preliminary findings indicated that the driver fell asleep while driving, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The truck reportedly veered off the road and ran into a ditch.
According to Akinbiyi, a total of 11 passengers were involved in the accident. One adult male lost his life, while eight other passengers sustained injuries of varying severity. Two passengers were said to have escaped unhurt.
“The vehicle involved was a Volvo intercooler truck with no number plate. Based on the account of a passenger, the driver slept off at the wheel, lost control, and the truck plunged into a ditch,” Akinbiyi said.
He added that emergency responders promptly evacuated the injured victims to Victory Hospital in Ogere-Remo, where they are currently receiving medical attention. The remains of the deceased, along with the unharmed passengers, were handed over to representatives of the Truckers’ Union.
The Lagos Ibadan Expressway has in recent times recorded a series of fatal crashes, raising concerns over road safety on the busy highway. Several lives have been lost in similar incidents, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and improved safety measures along the route.
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