A devastating road traffic incident occurred at the busy Badagry Roundabout in Lagos on Monday morning, resulting in the instant death of a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer and two commercial motorcyclists.
Punch Metro gathered that the tragic crash happened around 9 am when a cement-laden truck, reportedly approaching the junction at excessive speed, lost control. The vehicle swerved off its lane and ploughed into the victims who were at the roundabout performing their respective duties.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the horrific scene. "The LASTMA officer was controlling the traffic when he lost control and was suddenly crushed on the spot. The two motorcyclists were also affected while they were waiting to pick up passengers," the eyewitness recounted.
Following the incident, emergency response teams were swiftly mobilized to the scene. A police source, who also spoke anonymously due to restrictions on speaking to the press, confirmed that the crash caused significant gridlock in the area. "Other LASTMA officials were mobilised to the scene of the incident due to their affected colleague. Our men were also on the ground, as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Corps, to manage the situation," the source added.
The source further confirmed that the driver of the truck was immediately apprehended by security personnel and taken into custody. The remains of the three deceased victims were evacuated from the scene and deposited at a hospital mortuary, while the truck was impounded to aid further investigation.
Confirming the incident, the unit commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Yusuf Sanni, stated that the driver had been arrested and handed over to the police. "The driver has been taken to Badagry Police Station," Sanni told the News Agency of Nigeria. He attributed the crash to a loss of control and urged motorists to avoid the area to ease traffic flow.
CSP Folajimi Agosile, Divisional Police Officer of Badagry Police Station, also confirmed the driver's detention pending prosecution. "He will be arraigned at the Chief Magistrates' Court once investigations are concluded," Agosile stated.
When contacted, the spokesperson for LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, promised to provide an update on the incident. This tragedy comes just three days after LASTMA reported another fatal accident at Ekoro Junction, inward Abule-Egba, highlighting growing concerns over road safety in Lagos State.
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