A four-year-old boy, his mother, and 12 other passengers narrowly escaped death in a lone road traffic accident involving a fully loaded Mazda commercial bus along Coaster Road, opposite Lafiaji inward Okun Ajah, Lagos.
Confirming the incident, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in a statement on Wednesday, describing the crash as severe and potentially fatal.
“The ill-fated Mazda commercial bus with registration number AKD 509 XL abruptly lost stability, somersaulted, and landed on its side, trapping passengers inside the wreckage,” said Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA.
Adebayo noted that the impact of the crash was severe, drawing the attention of bystanders and emergency responders in the area.
“In circumstances that can only be described as divinely fortuitous, a four-year-old boy and twelve other occupants, including his mother, survived what could have resulted in multiple fatalities,” he said.
He said LASTMA officers responded swiftly to the scene and coordinated rescue and evacuation efforts.
“Personnel of LASTMA arrived with remarkable alacrity and operational precision. Officers promptly extricated the injured from the wreckage and coordinated urgent medical evacuation,” Adebayo stated.
According to him, the child, his mother, and two other injured passengers were rushed to the Mother and Child Hospital at Abraham Adesanya along Ogombo Road, while other victims were taken to nearby health facilities by Good Samaritans.
“The four-year-old boy, his mother, and two additional casualties were conveyed to the Mother and Child Hospital at Abraham Adesanya for immediate clinical attention, while other injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals by compassionate Good Samaritans,” he said.
The cause of the accident could not be immediately determined, but the matter has been handed over to the Abraham Adesanya Police Division for further investigation.
“While the definitive cause of the accident could not be ascertained, the case has been formally transferred to the Police Division at Abraham Adesanya for comprehensive inquiry and necessary legal procedures,” Adebayo added.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathy to the victims and urged motorists to avoid reckless driving.
“He conveyed profound sympathy to the victims and their families and extended earnest wishes for their prompt recovery,” Adebayo said.
“He sternly admonished motorists, particularly commercial vehicle operators, against reckless and cavalier driving, stressing that no journey is worth risking human lives.”
He also warned drivers to comply with speed limits and traffic regulations.
“He emphasised that strict adherence to statutory speed limits and traffic rules is not only a legal requirement but a moral obligation,” Adebayo said.
LASTMA reiterated its call for heightened vigilance on Lagos roads.
“The authority once again implores all motorists to exercise heightened vigilance, uphold vehicular discipline, and accord primacy to the sanctity of human life at all times,” he added.
