A male motorist has been killed and his wife critically injured in a fatal crash involving an articulated truck at Eleko Junction along the Lekki–Ajah Expressway in Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when a granite-laden truck travelling from the Epe axis reportedly suffered a brake failure and veered off course, colliding with a Toyota saloon car coming from Ajah inward Epe.
The impact caused the truck to overturn and crush the smaller vehicle, trapping the driver inside the wreckage.
LASTMA personnel, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and members of the public, rescued the victims from the mangled vehicle. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife sustained critical injuries and was rushed for urgent medical treatment.
The corpses and the injured victim were evacuated by FRSC ambulance services for further medical and mortuary procedures.
The driver of the articulated truck reportedly fled the scene after the crash, while operatives of the Akodo Police Division provided security cover during rescue and recovery operations.
Confirming the incident, Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA, said the tragedy was preventable and warned motorists against reckless driving and poor vehicle maintenance.
“This is a deeply distressing and avoidable tragedy. We urge all motorists, especially operators of heavy-duty vehicles, to ensure proper mechanical checks and adhere strictly to traffic regulations,” Adebayo said.
“LASTMA will continue to enforce traffic laws against reckless driving, mechanical negligence and other violations that endanger lives.”
In a related development, LASTMA also responded to a midnight fuel tanker fire incident at Ile-Zik inward Magboro along the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway.
The agency said a 33,000-litre tanker caught fire but was promptly extinguished by LASTMA Rescue Teams in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, preventing a major disaster.
“Our rescue teams acted swiftly to contain the inferno, while traffic was diverted into the BRT corridor to ensure emergency access and public safety,” Adebayo added.
He said normal traffic flow was restored after the successful firefighting and recovery operations.
