Dare Babalola
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued two persons trapped in a devastating multi-vehicle accident involving a 12-tyre DAF articulated truck and a commercial Volkswagen T4 bus along the Motorway inward Toll-Gate corridor in the Ogudu-Alapere area of Lagos.
According to a statement issued by LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, the accident left the commercial bus, with registration number AA 60 YF, badly damaged after it reportedly somersaulted following a violent impact.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the bus driver and a passenger were trapped inside the mangled vehicle, while the crash caused a major obstruction on the affected section of the roadway.
LASTMA officials, who were on routine traffic surveillance patrol within the corridor, swiftly responded to the incident and immediately activated emergency rescue and traffic management protocols aimed at saving lives, preventing secondary accidents and restoring normal traffic flow.
The agency said its personnel, working in collaboration with other emergency responders, successfully extricated the trapped victims from the wreckage and facilitated their evacuation for urgent medical treatment by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
To ensure safety during the rescue operation, the accident scene was secured and cordoned off, while officers of the Ketu Division of the Nigeria Police Force provided security support and crowd control.
Following the rescue exercise, the damaged vehicles were removed from the roadway, and LASTMA officers implemented traffic diversion and control measures to ease congestion caused by the incident and reduce traffic backlog along the corridor.
Reacting to the successful operation, LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the officers involved for their prompt response, courage and professionalism.
He said the rescue of the two victims underscored the agency’s commitment to safeguarding lives, promoting public safety and ensuring efficient traffic management across Lagos State.
Bakare-Oki also urged motorists, especially operators of articulated trucks and commercial vehicles, to embrace defensive driving, strictly adhere to traffic regulations and ensure their vehicles are in good mechanical condition before embarking on journeys.
He stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility and called on all road users to remain vigilant, patient and disciplined while using highways and major roads across the state.
