Two dispatch riders tragically lost their lives following a crash involving two fully loaded Mack trucks on Eko Bridge in Lagos on Sunday.
In a statement, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, said that preliminary findings suggest that the driver of one of the articulated trucks, reportedly driving at an excessive speed while allegedly dozing off, lost control of the vehicle.
He said that the truck then careened into another moving truck ahead of it, triggering a violent impact.
This catastrophic collision, according to Taofiq, led to the dislodgement of a 20-foot container from one of the trucks, which subsequently crushed two unsuspecting dispatch riders who were navigating the route at the time. Both victims were confirmed dead at the scene.
He added that swift and coordinated response from LASTMA officers, who were on routine traffic monitoring duty beneath the Eko Bridge, ensured the immediate rescue of one severely injured truck driver.
The driver was said to have been promptly transported to a nearby hospital in a Lagos State Government ambulance for urgent medical attention.
But the remaining two truck drivers were said to have absconded from the scene, presumably out of fear of the grim aftermath.
To forestall further incidents and safeguard other road users, LASTMA said its personnel immediately cordoned off the affected stretch of the bridge and redirected vehicular traffic through the Coastain Roundabout inward Alaka en route to Stadium.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, in his message of condolence to the bereaved families, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives.
He reiterated the critical importance of responsible driving, particularly for operators of articulated vehicles.
He urged all drivers to exercise utmost caution, maintain full alertness, and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before commencing any journey.
Bakare-Oki further emphasized the Agency’s ongoing, robust public enlightenment campaigns aimed at instilling safety consciousness among drivers, especially those operating heavy-duty vehicles.
LASTMA said investigations are currently underway to trace and apprehend the fleeing drivers involved in the fatal crash.
Other emergency responders at the scene of the accident include Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LSNSC), State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) and Police man from Iporin Division of the State.
