Dare Babalola
A dispatch rider has lost his life in a fatal road accident that occurred on Monday at the Motorways inward Estate axis of Alapere in Lagos, with swift intervention by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) preventing the situation from escalating into further violence.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, the tragic incident involved a collision between a dispatch rider and an empty tanker belonging to NIPCO.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the tanker, bearing registration number TTN-776ZQ, was allegedly driven at excessive speed when it rammed into the moving motorcycle.
The impact of the crash was described as severe, leading to the immediate death of the dispatch rider at the scene.
The incident reportedly threw the area into mourning, with witnesses expressing shock over the sudden loss.
In the aftermath of the accident, tensions quickly escalated as a group of fellow dispatch riders gathered at the scene and reportedly attacked the tanker driver in anger.
However, officials of LASTMA responded swiftly, arriving at the location in record time to contain the situation.
The agency’s officers were said to have demonstrated professionalism and restraint, successfully rescuing the injured tanker driver from the mob.
He was thereafter handed over to personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, who transported him to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment following the injuries he sustained during the attack.
To further stabilise the situation, officers from the Nigeria Police Force were deployed to the scene.
Their presence helped disperse the agitated crowd and restore calm, preventing what could have degenerated into a larger breakdown of law and order.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended his condolences to the family of the deceased rider, describing the loss as painful and irreparable.
He also used the opportunity to caution tanker drivers and other motorists against reckless driving.
Bakare-Oki emphasised that excessive speed remains one of the leading causes of fatal road accidents in Lagos State and urged all road users to strictly comply with traffic regulations to prevent avoidable tragedies.
“This unfortunate incident accentuates the urgent need for heightened vigilance and a collective recommitment to road safety. Every road user bears a fundamental responsibility to act prudently and safeguard human life,” he stated.
Authorities confirmed that the damaged tanker and the wreckage of the motorcycle have been handed over to the police, while a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced, with the possibility of prosecution depending on the outcome.
