Truck Crash Causes Gridlock On Lagos’ Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

A multiple-vehicle accident involving four vehicles has caused severe traffic congestion along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos State.

The accident occurred on Tuesday at Cele Express, inward Mile 2, and involved a Hilux van, a containerised heavy-duty truck, a patrol van and a Toyota car.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), which confirmed the incident, attributed the crash to a mechanical fault suspected to be brake failure.

The agency disclosed that an unconfirmed number of casualties had been rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

In a statement shared on its official X account, LASTMA said the collision resulted in multiple casualties, while its officers were deployed to strategic points along the expressway to manage traffic and prevent further accidents.

The agency said its personnel were advising motorists and diverting vehicles to alternative routes to ease the congestion caused by the incident.

LASTMA also appealed to motorists to exercise caution and remain vigilant while using the road.

The latest accident comes days after a fatal collision involving a truck and a commercial bus on Alaro City Bridge, inward T-Junction, Epe, Lagos, which claimed four lives and left 13 others critically injured.

In a statement issued on October 28 by its spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA said the truck driver also sustained severe injuries, including the loss of both legs, which were trapped in the wreckage.

Preliminary findings indicated that the truck rammed into a fully loaded commercial bus while both vehicles were navigating the single-lane bridge, trapping several passengers.

The injured victims were subsequently evacuated to a nearby medical facility by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).

LASTMA operatives, working alongside the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), evacuated the remains of the deceased to a mortuary, while police officers from the Epe Division provided security during the rescue operation.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.

He urged motorists to drive responsibly, observe traffic regulations and exercise extra caution when navigating bridges, narrow roads and other areas with limited space.

The Epe tragedy occurred days after another fatal incident at Mile 2, near Freeman Market, inward Apapa, where a mother and her child were crushed to death after two heavily loaded 20-foot container trucks overturned on them.