LAGOS, Nigeria (BN24) — At least five people sustained injuries after a high-speed fuel tanker lost control and collided with a fully loaded commercial bus at Toyota Bus Stop, inward Oshodi, on Thursday, authorities confirmed Friday.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) reported that the crash occurred near the Guardian newspaper headquarters and involved a petrol-laden tanker with registration number T28128LA and a Volkswagen T4 commercial bus bearing the plate GGE 526 YG.
In a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, preliminary investigations from the Oloto Police Division revealed that the tanker suffered a sudden brake failure while traveling at excessive speed. The vehicle subsequently veered into the passenger bus, which was operating under full capacity at the time of the incident.
Emergency responders from LASTMA, in conjunction with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), carried out what was described as a “precise and seamlessly coordinated rescue operation.” Five individuals, including the bus driver—three women and two men—were pulled from the wreckage.
“One victim was quickly transported to a nearby hospital by a good Samaritan, while others were stabilized and moved by official emergency services for further treatment,” LASTMA noted.
Acting General Manager of LASTMA, Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathy to the injured and emphasized the need for stricter adherence to traffic safety measures. He attributed the incident to what he called “a brazen disregard for statutory speed limits, which are conspicuously signposted along Lagos highways.”
“The tragic outcome could have been avoided with proper vehicle maintenance and strict speed regulation,” Bakare-Oki said. He urged tanker and heavy-duty vehicle operators to prioritize routine mechanical checks, particularly of braking systems, and to invest in continuous driver training.
He added, “The sanctity of human life must remain the paramount consideration in all road transport operations.”
Authorities have since cleared the accident scene and reopened the affected stretch of road to traffic.
Credit: Punching.com
