A drunk driver caused a serious accident over the weekend in the Alausa area of Ikeja, Lagos, leaving a couple and other passengers injured.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the crash happened when a commercial bus with registration number KTU 69 YJ lost control and rammed into a streetlight pole. The bus was fully loaded with passengers at the time.
LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, said in a statement on Sunday that the driver was heavily drunk and could not control the bus properly.
He said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver had taken too much alcohol, which led to the loss of control and the crash. It caused panic in the area as many passengers were seriously injured, especially a couple who were sitting in the middle of the bus.”
Taofiq praised the quick response of LASTMA officers at the scene, saying, “Thanks to the rapid and professionally coordinated intervention of LASTMA operatives stationed nearby, four severely injured individuals, including the aforementioned couple, along with one male and one female passenger, were swiftly extricated from the wreckage, administered emergency care, and stabilised on-site.”
He added that the injured were later taken by the Lagos State Ambulance Service to the Trauma and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate for further treatment.
“Luckily, the other passengers did not suffer any serious injuries,” he said.
During the rescue, officers from the Alausa Police Division secured the area to protect rescue workers and make sure the scene was safe.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condemned drunk driving and expressed sadness over the incident.
He said, “We strongly condemn drunk driving in any form. It puts many innocent lives at risk. We are increasing our surveillance across the state to prevent similar incidents. We also send our thoughts and best wishes to the injured and hope they recover quickly.”
The agency reminded all drivers to avoid alcohol before or during driving to prevent such tragic accidents.