President Bola Tinubu has extended heartfelt sympathies to British-Nigerian boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, following a fatal road accident along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway that claimed two lives and left the former world heavyweight titleholder injured.
In a personal message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the president addressed Joshua directly as “AJ,” describing the incident as a profound tragedy occurring during the festive season.
“This immense tragedy casts a deep shadow on this season,” Tinubu wrote. “I sympathise with you and your family as you bear the emotional weight of this unfortunate incident.”
The president praised Joshua’s courage, discipline and enduring love for Nigeria, describing him as a source of national pride, while offering prayers for his speedy recovery and for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives.
The accident occurred at about 11 a.m. near the Sagamu Interchange in Ogun State, when a Lexus SUV conveying Joshua reportedly suffered a tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a stationary truck.
Joshua, who was seated at the back of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and was evacuated to a hospital in Lagos, where medical assessments confirmed that he is stable and does not require emergency intervention. Two other passengers, described in preliminary reports as male foreign nationals, died at the scene.
The Ogun State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the incident, with the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, attributing the crash to the burst tyre.
Reactions to the incident have continued to pour in from within and outside the boxing community. American boxer Jake Paul wrote: “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”
Anthony Joshua, 36, is a two-time former unified heavyweight champion of the world and one of the most accomplished boxers of Nigerian descent. Born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian parents from Sagamu, Ogun State, Joshua has consistently spoken about his pride in his heritage and maintains close ties with his ancestral roots.
He was in Nigeria on a holiday visit to Sagamu, combining rest with family engagements following a recent professional outing in the United States. His visit included reconnecting with relatives and participating in cultural and personal activities within Ogun State.
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway is one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, linking the nation’s commercial capital with several southwestern states. Despite ongoing rehabilitation works, the corridor remains notorious for fatal accidents, often attributed to heavy traffic, mechanical failures, speeding, and indiscriminate parking of broken-down vehicles along the roadway.
