Dare Babalola
A pedestrian lost his life in a tragic hit-and-run accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, near the Ogudu flyover bridge.
The incident was reported by Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Sunday.
According to Taofiq, the incident occurred when a Nissan Jeep, driven at excessive speed, struck the pedestrian before the driver attempted to flee the scene.
He noted that the victim, who was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention but added that the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the medical facility.
He said in the statement, “In a perilous exhibition of recklessness, the driver of a Nissan Jeep, registered KJA 354 ET, sought to overtake a heavily laden forty-foot articulated container truck while travelling at a ruinously excessive velocity. In the calamitous attempt, control of the vehicle was fatally compromised, culminating in a violent collision with an unsuspecting male pedestrian before the ill-fated vehicle veered uncontrollably into the central median of the expressway.
“Rather than rendering humanitarian assistance to the gravely injured victim, the delinquent motorist brazenly attempted to abscond.”
The agency’s publicist, however, added that the fleeing driver was apprehended and detained by personnel of the LASTMA and handed over to the Ogudu Police Division for further investigation.
He added that LASTMA officials worked to preserve traffic flow and prevent secondary accidents, while also ensuring that the scene was properly managed.
On his part, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, lauded the gallantry, vigilance, and professionalism of his officers in responding to the exigency, while issuing a stern admonition to all motorists traversing the highways of Lagos State.
He emphatically underscored that “excessive speeding, indiscriminate overtaking, and hazardous vehicular manoeuvrings constitute mortal threats not only to errant drivers themselves but also to innocent pedestrians and unsuspecting road users”.
Bakare-Oki further exhorted motorists to exercise scrupulous caution, ensuring absolute clearance and road safety before attempting any form of overtaking or diversionary manoeuvre.
