The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed the arrest of a truck for crushing his motor boy to death in a tragic accident that occurred on Wednesday night at Ogolonto Traffic Light Intersection, inward Ikorodu Roundabout.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, the incident happened at about 11:00 p.m., when operatives of the agency’s Special Night Gang Patrol Team witnessed the horrifying scene during routine traffic monitoring along the Ikorodu corridor.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the motor boy had alighted from the moving, heavily loaded truck to place a wooden plank beneath its tyres in an attempt to stabilize it, as the vehicle’s brakes were reportedly faulty. Tragically, he slipped and fell beneath the rear tyres, which crushed him to death on the spot.
Adebayo said LASTMA officers immediately cordoned off the area to prevent secondary accidents and maintain order before contacting officers from the Ipakodo Police Division, who arrived promptly to take over the case.
“The driver of the truck was apprehended and handed over to the police for further investigation, while the body of the deceased was conveyed by police operatives to the General Hospital, Ikorodu,”
Adebayo stated.
To avert further congestion, the ill-fated truck was removed from the road by the LASTMA team, ensuring free vehicular flow in the area.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over the unfortunate incident and extended condolences to the bereaved family, praying for divine strength to bear the loss.
He described the tragedy as entirely preventable and urged all truck and commercial vehicle drivers to conduct regular mechanical checks, especially of their braking systems, before embarking on any journey.
“Mechanical negligence and poor vehicle maintenance endanger not only the drivers but also the lives of innocent road users,”
Bakare-Oki cautioned.
He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to promoting safety, discipline, and orderliness on all roads through strict enforcement, sustained public enlightenment, and continued collaboration with security and safety agencies.
