By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Tragedy struck Thursday midnight following a collision involving two fully laden 40-foot containerised trucks along the Cele inward axis of the Oshodi–Apapa Expressway, Mile 2, Lagos, leaving two persons dead.
The deceased include the driver of one of the trucks, marked T-392 LA, and a suspected street urchin whose presence within the operational perimeter of the articulated vehicles could not be immediately established at the time of response.
The high-impact collision left the driver severely entrapped in the steering compartment of his truck, necessitating painstaking technical extrication by rescue and recovery teams.
Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) subsequently retrieved the driver’s remains, while the lifeless body of the street urchin was evacuated from beneath one of the trucks following an intensive search and recovery operation carried out under strict safety protocols.
The operation was conducted in seamless synergy with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), whose specialised technical intervention proved indispensable in facilitating the complex recovery effort.
Security reinforcement was provided by personnel of the Nigeria Police attached to the Ilasa Police Division, ensuring effective perimeter control and preservation of evidence at the scene.
Further demonstrating inter-agency collaboration, the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) promptly evacuated the remains of both victims following a distress call by LASTMA, enabling recovery activities to progress and the gradual restoration of vehicular flow along the strategically vital logistics corridor.
Upon conclusion of on-site operations, LASTMA formally handed over the incident to officers of the Ilasa Police Division for a comprehensive investigation to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crash.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, reiterated the authority’s advocacy for disciplined and responsible driving, urging operators of articulated vehicles to remain safety-conscious, adhere strictly to speed limits, and comply with all regulatory frameworks instituted to safeguard lives and property.
Bakare-Oki further underscored that nocturnal freight operations demand heightened vigilance, careful manoeuvring, and adequate warning mechanisms to prevent avoidable tragedies.
He also urged motorists to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations, and promptly alert emergency authorities whenever hazardous situations are observed on the highways.
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