No fewer than thirteen persons were confirmed dead and 10 others
injured in a fatal crash at Saapade, Ogun State end of the
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday.
Among the dead were four male adults, seven female adults and two
female children.
It was learnt that the accident occurred after a speeding truck had a
burst tyre and collided with two commuter buses.
The vehicles involved were a yellow Mazda bus with number plate, KTU
93 XW; a white Toyota bus with number plate, KEY 847 XA; and a MAN
diesel truck with the number plate, KAB 97 XA.
The Sector Commander, Ogun State, Federal Road Safety Corps, Clement
Oladele, who confirmed the accident, said the crash occurred around
5pm.
He explained that 37 people, made up of 20 males, 15 females and two
children were involved in the crash.
Oladele stated, “The accident occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
by the Saapade Bridge near Ogere, Ogun State, where a diversion was
created by the construction company working on rehabilitating the
corridor.
“The unfortunate accident involved three vehicles, including a
speeding truck heading for the Lagos area of the expressway.
“The truck suddenly suffered a tyre burst and in the process collided
head-on with two other speeding commuter buses heading for the Ibadan
area of the expressway, with one of them in the process of attempting
to wrongfully overtake within the diversion area.”
The sector commander, while expressing shock at the accident,
commiserated with the families of the victims.
He requested the relations to contact the FRSC command at Ogere or the
Victory Hospital, Ogere, where the victims were taken to for
treatment.
“The corpses of the victims of the crash have been deposited in the
Ipara Mortuary, while the obstruction has been cleared with the aid of
the RCC, the construction company, which supported rescue operations
with its heavy-duty equipment,” he added.
Oladele said the tragedy could have been averted if motorists driving
in diversion areas at construction zones observed the maximum speed
limit of 50 kilometres per hour and avoided overtaking till they were
clearly out of diversion areas to avoid head-on collision.
He added that passengers inside vehicles being driven recklessly
should caution their drivers and where they refused to be cautioned,
the FRSC should be contacted on the toll free number 122.
