Eight people lost their lives and eight others were badly injured in a road accident on Sunday at Atura Bus Stop, near Badagry in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the incident in a statement.
The accident happened after a 16-seater Mazda commercial bus with number plate KJA 811 YF collided with a DAF truck marked T1 4636 LA. LASTMA said the driver of the bus was speeding and lost control while trying to navigate a turn, leading to a serious crash that gave little chance of survival for many passengers.
According to LASTMA, “The tragic accident instantly claimed the lives of eight passengers, including the driver of the ill-fated bus and his conductor.”
Officers from LASTMA, FRSC, the Nigerian Police (Morogbo Division), and the Nigerian Army from Ibereko Barracks worked together at the scene to rescue eight people who were still alive but injured. The survivors were quickly taken to Badagry General Hospital for treatment.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, visited the crash site and expressed sadness over the loss. He said, “This heart-wrenching incident is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution.”
Bakare-Oki advised drivers to avoid speeding, follow road safety rules, and always check their vehicles to prevent accidents. He stressed that this kind of crash could have been avoided if the bus driver had followed simple safety measures.
He also praised the quick action of emergency workers at the scene and said the agency is moving beyond just traffic control to handling emergencies and saving lives. He added that speed-limiting devices would be installed in key areas across Lagos to stop similar accidents.
The crash came just hours after another fatal accident in Ogun State, where 10 people were killed and three injured on the Obada Expressway near Ijebu Ode.
