Four Dead, Four Injured In Truck–Korope Crash In Ajah Area Of Lagos

Four Dead, Four Injured In Truck–Korope Crash In Ajah Area Of Lagos

At least four passengers have died and four others sustained serious injuries in a road accident along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the fatal crash occurred opposite Beechwood, Shapati, inward Ajah, along the busy highway linking the Lekki corridor to Epe.

In a statement, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said the accident involved a HOWO articulated truck with registration number KNN 313 YL and a Suzuki commercial minibus popularly known as “Korope.”

According to him, preliminary investigations indicate that the truck driver lost control while moving, veered across the carriageway and rammed into the oncoming commercial minibus, which was fully loaded with passengers.

“The catastrophic impact caused the immediate death of four male passengers,” Bakare-Oki said.

He added that four other occupants — two men and two women — sustained severe fractures after becoming trapped in the mangled wreckage of the minibus.

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Officials said LASTMA personnel swiftly mobilised to the crash scene, working alongside other emergency responders and passers-by to rescue the injured victims trapped inside the damaged vehicle.

The injured passengers were subsequently taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment.

Bakare-Oki said the remains of the four deceased passengers were evacuated by an ambulance from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and deposited at the morgue of Shency Hospital.

Security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force were also deployed to the area to maintain order and facilitate traffic control as emergency operations continued.

According to the LASTMA boss, the truck driver and his motor boy fled the scene immediately after the crash, prompting authorities to begin efforts to track them down.

The incident caused temporary traffic disruption along the Lekki–Epe Expressway, one of the busiest roads in Lagos, which has witnessed several accidents in recent years due to speeding, heavy truck movement and rapid development along the Lekki corridor.

Bakare-Oki urged motorists, especially articulated vehicle drivers, to exercise caution, comply with traffic regulations and adopt responsible driving habits to prevent avoidable road tragedies.

Emergency officials later cleared the wreckage from the highway to restore normal traffic flow while investigations into the crash continue.

(NAN)

Four Dead, Four Injured In Truck–Korope Crash In Ajah Area Of Lagos