A tragic accident occurred on Tuesday in the Ijora area of Lagos State, when a 40-foot container-laden truck toppled onto a commercial tricycle, killing two passengers, including a serving police officer, and leaving two others severely injured.
The Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the incident in a statement, describing it as a “most lamentable accident” along Ijora Causeway, inward Ijora 7Up.
According to preliminary investigations, the articulated truck, with registration number XP 368 AKD, was attempting a difficult manoeuvre beneath the Ijora Bridge when it lost control and capsized, crushing the tricycle with registration number KJA 364 QN, which was carrying unsuspecting passengers.
“Regrettably, two passengers, including a serving police officer, were killed instantly,” the statement read.
The remains of the deceased officer were taken to a morgue in Yaba, while grief-stricken relatives of the second victim, a female passenger, retrieved her body at the scene.
In a rescue operation led by LASTMA operatives and emergency responders, two survivors—the tricycle operator and another passenger—were pulled from the wreckage alive but with severe bilateral leg fractures. They were immediately transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) to Jimsan Hospital, Gasikiya, Ijora, for intensive medical care.
The chaotic scene attracted an angry crowd, with some onlookers attempting to set the container truck ablaze. However, combined security detachments from Badia, Trinity, and Kirikiri Police Divisions swiftly intervened, creating security cordons that protected emergency responders and prevented further escalation.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and offered prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. He also commended the prompt response of emergency services and security personnel for their professionalism in managing the situation.
Bakare-Oki used the occasion to caution truck operators and articulated vehicle drivers to exercise extreme care, especially when navigating bridges, intersections, and heavily trafficked areas, to prevent similar tragedies.
