Infant, four others escape death in Lagos auto crash

An eight-month-old baby narrowly escaped death on Tuesday after a commercial bus crashed into four pedestrians at Otedola Bridge, inward Tollgate, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, in a statement on Thursday by its spokesperson, Taofik Adebayo, stated that the victims, including a woman carrying the infant on her back, were attempting to cross the expressway when an LT commercial bus, reportedly speeding, ran into them.

According to him, the impact triggered a multiple crash involving a Hydra truck, a Ford vehicle and an unregistered Mark flat-body truck.

“The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority hereby announces a deeply unsettling vehicular crash that transpired in the early hours at Otedola Bridge, inward Tollgate, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The incident involved four automobiles: a Hydra truck (APP 261 FA), an LT commercial bus (EPE 574 YC), a Ford vehicle (GG 283 XQ) and an unregistered Mark flat-body truck.

“Preliminary findings by security personnel indicate that the four severely injured pedestrians, one of whom bore an eight-month-old baby securely strapped to her back, were attempting to traverse the expressway when the LT commercial bus, approaching at a perilously excessive speed, catastrophically rammed into them. The force of the impact precipitated a secondary chain collision involving the remaining vehicles, including the unregistered Mark truck.”

He noted that operatives at the scene rescued the baby unharmed, while the four adults sustained severe injuries.

“LASTMA officers quickly rescued the infant, who came out without any injury despite the collision. The other victims were stabilised and taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Tollgate,” he added.

Taofiq further stated that police officers from the Alausa Division assisted in securing the scene while LASTMA personnel removed the damaged vehicles to ease traffic.

The agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, in the statement, sympathised with the victims and wished them a quick recovery.

“He underscored that the hazardous practice of darting across high-speed highways continues to imperil lives needlessly. He warned pedestrians against crossing major highways, urging them to use the pedestrian bridges provided by the government,” the statement added.

The incident adds to the recurring road accidents recorded by the agency in recent times.

PUNCH Metro reported on Monday that LASTMA confirmed the death of a female passenger and the injury of six others in an accident that occurred along the Majidun area of Ikorodu area of the state on Sunday morning.