A tragic road accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway early Friday morning claimed the lives of six people, including two men and four women. The incident, which occurred at approximately 7:40 AM at Verony, Ogere, involved a Toyota Sienna vehicle and a truck.
The accident involved an ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number EPE692EL and an unidentified truck that fled the scene immediately after the crash. According to eyewitnesses and initial reports, the Sienna was traveling at high speed when it rammed into the back of the truck, which was moving ahead on the highway. The force of the impact was so severe that six of the passengers in the Sienna died instantly, while three others sustained injuries.
Florence Okpe, the spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State, confirmed the details of the accident. She described how the accident unfolded, noting that the driver of the Sienna appeared to have lost control, leading to the fatal collision. The truck involved did not stop after the incident, complicating efforts to immediately assess the full scope of the accident and hold the responsible party accountable.
Following the accident, emergency response teams, including FRSC personnel, arrived swiftly at the scene. The injured victims were rushed to Patmag Hospital in Ogere for urgent medical attention. The hospital has since reported that the injured are in stable condition and are receiving the necessary care. Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased were taken to FOS Morgue in Ipara, where they will remain until families are able to claim them.
In the wake of the accident, Akinwumi Fasakin, the Sector Commander of the Ogun Sector Command of the FRSC, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. He described the accident as a “tragic and avoidable event” that could have been prevented with more careful driving.
“This crash is a clear example of the consequences of speeding and lack of caution on the road,” Fasakin said in a statement. “If the driver had observed proper caution, this loss of life could have been avoided.”
Fasakin emphasised the importance of adhering to traffic rules and regulations, especially on highways where high speeds are common. He urged all motorists to maintain maximum concentration while driving and to always be mindful of other road users. “Driving is an act that requires complete focus and adherence to safety measures. We must all do our part to prevent such needless tragedies from occurring,” he added.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of the busiest highways in Nigeria, has long been a hotspot for road accidents, many of which are fatal. The combination of high traffic volumes, including heavy-duty vehicles, and the tendency for drivers to overspeed, particularly on the long stretches of the road, often leads to catastrophic accidents.
According to statistics from the FRSC, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is among the top three roads in Nigeria with the highest number of road traffic accidents. The reasons for this include reckless driving, poor road conditions in some sections, and the large number of commercial vehicles that ply the route daily.
