10 dead, six injured as speeding bus rams into reversing truck on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

Ten persons have been confirmed dead, while six others sustained severe injuries in a fatal road crash that occurred along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Sunday night.

The tragic incident, which happened at about 8:05 pm at the Saapade Bridge axis of the highway in Ogun State, involved a white Sinotruk and a commercial Toyota Hiace bus.

The spokesperson of the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Afolabi Odunsi, confirmed the development in a statement issued to journalists.

Odunsi disclosed that the fatal collision was caused by a deadly combination of speed violation, wrongful overtaking, and dangerous driving.

According to him, the truck driver had missed his route and was recklessly reversing on the high-speed expressway. The approaching bus, which was travelling at top speed, attempted to navigate through the shrinking space but ultimately rammed into the heavy-duty vehicle.

The FRSC spokesperson noted that a total of 18 persons, comprising 15 adult males, two adult females, and one male child, were involved in the crash.

He stated that the crash claimed the lives of nine adult males and the only male child, while four adult males and two adult females suffered varying degrees of injuries. Two adult males managed to escape the wreckage unhurt.

Odunsi added that FRSC rescue operatives arrived promptly at the scene to evacuate the injured victims to Victory Hospital in Ogere for urgent medical attention.

The remains of the deceased have since been deposited at the FOS Mortuary in Ipara.

He further revealed that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force from the Ishara Division have taken custody of the crashed vehicles to allow for the free flow of traffic.

Reacting to the incident, the Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Oludare Ogunjobi, commiserated with the families of the deceased and wished the survivors a quick recovery.

Ogunjobi issued a stern warning to motorists, especially commercial and heavy-duty drivers, to desist from the dangerous act of reversing on highways. He urged road users to strictly maintain safe speeds and utilize designated turning points to avert needless carnage on the roads.