A lone car accident has claimed the life of a driver along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos, prompting a swift rescue and recovery operation by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force.
A statement by LASTMA said the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, at Charity Bus Stop, inward Iyana Isolo, along the busy Oshodi-Apapa corridor.
Findings suggest the driver crashed after the Honda Pilot Sports Utility Vehicle, SUV, he was driving, suddenly lost control. The vehicle reportedly somersaulted several times before coming to a stop.
The impact of the crash was said to have been severe, resulting in the immediate death of the driver, whose body became trapped inside the wreckage.
LASTMA officials who were carrying out traffic management duties around the Iyana Isolo axis responded promptly to the scene. Working alongside officers from the Mosafejo Police Division, they successfully recovered the victim’s body from the damaged vehicle while ensuring the free flow of traffic and preventing further accidents on the road.
Following the recovery operation, officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU, evacuated the deceased to a public mortuary in line with established public health procedures.
The wrecked Honda Pilot SUV was subsequently handed over to officers of the Mosafejo Police Division for further investigation.
Authorities said investigations have commenced to determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the fatal accident.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sadness over the loss of life and extended condolences to the family of the deceased.
He also urged motorists to be more careful on the roads by observing speed limits and complying with traffic regulations, especially during late-night and early-morning journeys.
“Motorists are strongly urged to eschew reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, excessive speeding and every form of traffic infraction capable of precipitating avoidable tragedies on our roads. The sanctity and preservation of human life must remain paramount in the conduct of every road user. No journey is so urgent as to justify compromising safety,” Bakare-Oki said.
He stressed the need for road users to remain vigilant at all times and prioritise safety while driving.
