A newly married couple and 16 other individuals were saved on Saturday following a severe collision on Lagos’s Third Mainland Bridge near Ilaje, en route to Iyana Oworonshoki. The accident involved a commercial LT bus (BFG 204 XF) and a mini truck (AGL 22 YE), underscoring the dangers of reckless driving and vehicle malfunction.
The couple, who were on their way back to the mainland from the Ikoyi Marriage Registry, narrowly escaped tragedy when the bus in which they were traveling crashed due to brake failure.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), “The accident was attributed to a brake failure on the LT bus, which was travelling at excessive speed. The bus collided with the mini truck, which was moving slowly due to mechanical difficulties.”
The impact of the crash left 16 passengers—11 women and 5 men—with serious injuries. They were immediately transported to the Lagos State Trauma and Emergency Centre near the Toll Gate for urgent medical attention. Two front-seat passengers, trapped in the wreckage, suffered severe limb fractures and were freed through the combined efforts of LASTMA officials, emergency responders, and concerned bystanders. These victims were later taken to Gbagada General Hospital for specialized treatment.
The rescue mission, orchestrated by LASTMA in collaboration with the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASABUS) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit (LRU), was supported by law enforcement from Alonge Police Station and the Lagos State Task Force to maintain order.
Expressing sympathy for the injured, LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, emphasized the importance of road safety: “We wish the injured a speedy recovery. It is important that we observe speed limits and maintain vehicles, particularly the braking system, to prevent such tragedies.”
Mr. Bakare-Oki further noted that LASTMA’s Female Elite Corps has been intensifying public enlightenment campaigns to educate motorists, particularly commercial bus operators, on safe driving practices during the festive season.
This harrowing incident serves as a poignant reminder of the critical need for vehicle maintenance and adherence to speed regulations on Lagos’s busy highways
