LASTMA Arrests Truck Driver Over Fatal Accident On Badagry Expressway, Death Of Two
OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has apprehended the driver of a heavily-loaded bucket truck following a fatal accident that claimed the lives of a pedestrian and a motorcyclist along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos.
The tragic incident occurred around the Iyana-Iba Flyover inward the main gate of Lagos State University on the main carriageway of the expressway.
According to preliminary findings by LASTMA, the truck driver was reportedly travelling at high speed from the Volkswagen area inward Badagry when he struck and killed a pedestrian.
The agency said the driver allegedly failed to stop after the initial impact and continued driving along the corridor.
In an attempt to stop the fleeing truck, a motorcyclist, accompanied by another individual, reportedly pursued the vehicle.
However, the truck driver allegedly rammed into the motorcycle during the chase, killing the motorcyclist instantly, while the second rider escaped unhurt.
LASTMA disclosed that operatives of its Night Gang Surveillance and Monitoring Patrol Team, who were on routine night monitoring and emergency response duties along the Badagry Expressway, arrived promptly at the scene and evacuated the body of the motorcyclist, which had reportedly become trapped beneath the truck.
The agency added that the truck driver was immediately arrested and handed over to security personnel at the PPL Police Post, Okokomaiko, alongside officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps for further investigation and other legal procedures.
Officials of the FRSC evacuated the remains of the motorcyclist, while the body of the pedestrian was later released to family members who arrived at the scene after being informed of the incident.
Both the truck and the damaged motorcycle involved in the accident were also taken to the police post pending the conclusion of investigations.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased victims.
He described the incident as another reminder of the dangers associated with reckless driving, especially among operators of articulated vehicles and trucks who violate traffic regulations and safety guidelines on major highways.
Bakare-Oki urged truck drivers and other road users to comply with speed regulations and exercise caution at all times to prevent avoidable road crashes and loss of lives.
He also reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustained traffic enforcement, emergency response operations and collaboration with relevant security and safety agencies to improve road safety across Lagos State.
