From John Silas, Lagos
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested a Dangote Truck driver following a head-on collision involving his truck and a commercial bus.
The accident which occurred on Tuesday, February 3, 2023, along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway involved a Dangote articulated truck and a commercial Mazda bus with registration number FST 946 YK, leaving three people critically injured.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, preliminary accounts indicated that the incident ensued when the driver of the articulated truck, while attempting to execute a manoeuvre at an unauthorised U-turn point, collided head-on with the oncoming commercial bus. The violent impact resulted in three male passengers sustaining severe injuries while the driver was immediately apprehended by LASTMA.
Taofiq disclosed that the Personnel of LASTMA in synergy with operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), responded with commendable promptitude to the distress situation.
He said that through a swift and well-coordinated emergency intervention, all three critically injured victims were successfully rescued from the scene and immediately conveyed to the General Hospital by FRSC officials for urgent and comprehensive medical attention.
Adding, he said, in order to avert secondary accidents and promptly restore vehicular flow along the affected corridor, LASTMA officers ensured the immediate evacuation of both accident-involved vehicles from the roadway, with auxiliary support from security personnel of the Badagry Divisional Police Command, while simultaneously managing traffic to maintain order and safety.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa has expressed profound sympathy to the injured victims and their families, while earnestly wishing them a speedy and complete recovery.
He further issued a stern admonition to truck and heavy-duty vehicle operators to exercise heightened safety consciousness and to comply strictly with all traffic regulations as stipulated in the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
Hon. Giwa stressed that reckless driving practices, including illegal U-turns, constitute a grave threat to public safety and will not be condoned under the State’s traffic management regime.
The release stated that the Lagos State Government has also reiterated its unwavering commitment to the preservation of lives and property across all State roadways through proactive enforcement, strategic traffic control measures and sustained public enlightenment initiatives.
