The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, has confirmed that one person died and two others were injured in two separate road traffic crashes that occurred at Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Friday.
According to a statement issued by the Lagos Sector Command Spokesperson, Superintendent Route Commander (SRC) Elizabeth Oluwadamilola, the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan. The accident involved five articulated trucks and one Toyota Sienna vehicle.
The FRSC said preliminary investigations revealed that the crash was caused by speed violation and loss of control. Seven adult males were involved in the accident, with one person confirmed dead, one injured, while five others escaped unhurt.
The Corps said the body of the deceased remained trapped beneath one of the heavily loaded trucks, making it necessary to deploy heavy-duty recovery equipment before evacuation could be completed.
While rescue and recovery operations were still in progress, another crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos. The lone accident involved a Mazda commercial bus and was attributed to brake failure.
According to the FRSC, the driver sustained serious injuries and was rescued by emergency responders before being taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment. The Corps added that its rescue team, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other emergency agencies were working to clear the wreckage, recover the trapped victim and restore the free flow of traffic.
The Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat, sympathised with the families of the victims and appealed to motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to remain patient, exercise caution and cooperate with traffic management officials around the crash scene. He advised road users to avoid the Kara–Ojodu Berger corridor where possible and use alternative routes, including the Ikorodu-Sagamu route for outbound traffic and the Lekki-Epe Expressway or Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway for vehicles heading into Lagos.
The FRSC also urged motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles and commercial buses, to ensure their vehicles are mechanically sound before embarking on any journey, with special attention to braking systems. The Command further cautioned against unnecessary night travel, advising drivers to reduce speed, maintain safe following distances, avoid dangerous overtaking and rest whenever fatigued, stressing that poor visibility and driver fatigue significantly increase the risk of road traffic crashes.
