It was a black Thursday yesterday for Lagos State civil servants.

Six of them died while 79 were injured when a bus conveying them to their office in Ikeja was hit by a fast-moving passenger train.

The train’s registration number is 2215; the staff bus’ number is 04A-48LA.

At least, two women died on the spot, The Nation learnt.

The accident occurred at the PWD railway crossing at about 7 am.

The victims blamed the driver for being reckless as he made to cross the level crossing at PWD, close to Shogunle on the rail corridor.

A survivor, Kazeem Abiola, who sat by the door, said the bus was midway through the rail at the Shogunle level crossing when the train crashed into it.

He said the bus had sped past the train around Ladipo Bus Stop on the Old Agege Motor Road.

When they got to the PWD level crossing, they warned the driver to slow down and wait for the train.

“He shouted us down, thinking he could speed past before the train would catch up with us,” Abiola said.

“We warned him to allow the train to go, but he was adamant.

“Everybody was shouting, cautioning him, but he cared less.

“Half of the bus had crossed the rail track before the train hit us.

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“The last I heard was the crash and I passed out.

“I regained consciousness here (LASUTH Emergency Unit).”

The train, on Iddo-Ijoko Mass Transit Train Service, was operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The victims who suffered various degrees of injuries spoke at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

Anuoluwapo Musa, a staff of the Lagos State Emergency Maintenance Agency (LASEMA) told The Nation that the bus, which was coming from Ikotun, picked him up at Jakande Estate.

He said he jumped and broke his arm.

“I was at the back when the incident occurred.

“I heard the bedlam as those in the front row were shouting down the driver. Not quite long, we were hit by the train.

“I was conscious enough to jump out of the bus while the train was still dragging our bus on the rail track,” he said.

Another victim said she also jumped out of the bus. She also suffered an arm injury.

The bus, which was navigating inward to Ikeja, was trapped by the train’s magnets, it was learnt.

Commuters paused to offer assistance.

NRC: Safety measures ignored

The NRC, in a statement by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Mamood Yakub, said the passenger train was coming from Ijoko in Ogun State to Iddo Railway Station in Lagos.

The statement reads: “The general public may wish to note that NRC had put in place level crossing control and management procedures necessary for preventing accidents by deploying mechanisms and level crossing staff that work at the level crossing across the country to prevent accidents.

“The Corporation is and will continue to appeal to all and sundry to please ensure restraint and strictly observe caution signs and instruction from officials when approaching railway level crossing and completely stop their vehicles when directed to do so by the Level Crossing Keeper and officials to ensure seamless movement of trains and safe crossing of the motorist as well as pedestrians.

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“We must also be aware that the Railway has the right of way in any city that has the benefits of train services, hence, the Railway track must be kept free from walking and trading at all times.

“All level crossings are manned 24 hours and the management of the NRC will not relent in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of advising drivers and pedestrians to always comply strictly with instructions given by the railway staff at the level crossing.

“Meanwhile, we will continue to collaborate with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), State Traffic Management Agencies such as Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASMA), etc, to ensure the prevention of incidents of vehicles colliding with moving trains.”

The Corporation commiserated with the people and government of Lagos and prayed for the repose of the dead while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Sanwo-Olu: it’s an avoidable accident

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Minister for Transportation Mu’azu Jaji Sambo expressed deep shock and sorrow over the accident.

The governor confirmed that six passengers died.

He said two died on the spot, four died in the hospital, and 79 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Sanwo-Olu described the accident as “totally avoidable.

He said the driver only needed to exercise a little patience and follow proper transportation protocol, which requires a driver to wait at a level crossing.

The governor sympathised with the injured workers and commiserated with the families of those who lost their loved ones.

Sanwo-Olu declared three days of mourning and suspended his political campaigns in honour of the victims.

He also directed flags to be flown at half-mast throughout the period.

Declaring it “a trying period” for the state, Sanwo-Olu directed that all offices should close at noon today.

“Lagos is in a state of mourning and for the next three days, I am suspending all campaign activities.

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“All flags will be flown at half-mast and tomorrow (today) all civil servants will work till noon before returning home to be with their loved ones during this trying time,” he said.

The governor added: “There were 85 passengers on board the bus and the accident claimed the lives of six workers.

“According to the LASUTH classification scale, there are 42 moderate, 29 serious and eight mild injuries.”

Sambo, in a statement signed by his media aide, Samuel Idiagbonya, commiserated with the families.

He ordered a detailed investigation of the train incident.

Driver in custody

Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said the accident was caused by the recklessness of the driver.

According to him, rather than wait when he was flagged down by the flag man, the driver ignored the warning and drove against the oncoming train.

He said the driver was in custody and would be interrogated once he is stabilised.

The commissioner wondered why the driver refused to obey the flagman when warned of the approach of the train.

Oladeinde said the Shogunle axis where the accident occurred was on the Red Line Rail corridor.

He said it was one of the spots for which an overpass was being constructed by the NRC.

When construction is completed, the level crossing would be cordoned off to traffic, he said.

Condolences pour in

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila expressed grief at the losses, saying the accident was “regrettable”.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, Gbajabiamila sent his condolences to the families of the victims, the people and the government of Lagos.

He prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead and quick recovery for the injured.

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Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa also suspended his scheduled political walk across Agege following the train accident.

Obasa met the thousands of youth, men and women walking towards the Pen Cinema area while returning from an official engagement and stopped them.

He described the accident as a sad occurrence and sympathised with the bereaved families.

Senator-Elect for Lagos West and former Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, expressed sadness over an unfortunate accident.

She commiserated with the governor, the civil servants and the families of those who died in the accident.

She prayed to God to grant the injured a quick recovery.

Adebule expressed confidence in the ability of the state government to ensure the best treatment for those injured.

NEMA confirms fatalities

NEMA’s Lagos Office Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed that employees of the state government died in the accident.

He said: “The state government staff bus was trying to cross the PWD/Shogunle rail crossing while the train coming into Lagos from Ijoko trapped the bus on its rail.

“Two NRC flag officers reportedly tried to stop the driver of the bus from crossing but it was said that the driver ignored the directive and drove into the rail.”

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said it has commenced an investigation into the accident.

General Manager, Public Affairs, Tunji Oketunbi, in a statement, said first responders at the accident site evacuated the bus and the train.

The statement reads: “This accident investigation marks the first train accident investigation embarked upon by the Bureau since its establishment under the NSIB Act 2022.

“The NSIB, hereby, solicits information from the general public in form of pictures, video, or recording evidence to help assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.

“The bureau can be reached through info@aib.gov.ng and on its social media platforms. The Bureau can also be reached on its emergency line +234-807-709-0909.”

FRSC, police speak

The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Babatunde Farinloye, urged all motorists to respect all traffic regulations on level crossing across the country.

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He said the accident could have been avoided if the bus driver had complied with the regulation and exercised a little patience.

Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, admonished motorists to always give way to trains at all railway level crossings.

Atiku, Obi sympathises with victims

The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Mr Peter Obi, condoled the state and victims.

Atiku said: “The unfortunate crash of a train and a BRT bus in Lagos is sad news not only to Lagosians but to all of us Nigerians, as is any mishap anywhere.

“The powers of states as federating units in Nigeria in the area of transportation must be reinforced with enabling laws and enhanced by the states themselves with knowledge and the requisite expertise in the same sector.

“Emergency and medical rescue services must also be enhanced to avoid casualties in accidents such as this.

“I urge the relevant authorities to swiftly investigate the cause of the accident and take appropriate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may God grant their families the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Obi said the accident was regrettable and “avoidable”.

Describing such incidents as heartbreaking, the former Anambra State governor urged relevant agencies and authorities to stand up to their responsibilities.

He said: “I received the depressing news of a train collision with a BRT Staff Bus in Ikeja, where precious lives were lost and several people wounded. We must at all costs guard against accidents like this.

“The many lives lost to such avoidable incidents are heartbreaking. The relevant agencies and authorities must stand up to their responsibilities.

“I commiserate with the bereaved families and hope the critically injured are given good medical care for quick recovery.

“We are united with you in this time of sorrow and pain. May God keep us all safe as we go about our daily lives.”