Dare Babalola
There was tension in the Mile 2 area of Lagos State early Monday as a Toyota Highlander Jeep and a commercial bus collided, ending the life of the private car driver.
This was confirmed in a statement by Adebayo Taofiq, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
Taofiq blamed the accident on excessive speeding by both drivers, disclosing that the remains of the deceased were handed over to operatives of the Ojo Police Division.
He wrote, “Preliminary findings revealed that the tragedy was occasioned when the Highlander Jeep, travelling at an excessive and perilous speed, lost control and collided with great force into a stubborn commercial bus that was illegally stationed along the roadside while indiscriminately picking up passengers at the said location. The driver of the Highlander Jeep perished instantly at the scene of impact.
“Responding with remarkable swiftness to the accident LASTMA personnel promptly secured the accident scene, extricated the lifeless body from the mangled wreckage, and formally handed over the remains to operatives of the Ojo Police Division. The Police thereafter conveyed the deceased to the C-Niger Mortuary, Abule Ado (inward Mile 2), for preservation.
“In a meticulously coordinated intervention, LASTMA officers ensured the restoration of traffic fluidity along the severely gridlocked corridor, while simultaneously supervising the evacuation of all accidented vehicles, which were subsequently towed to the Ojo Police Division for further investigation.”
The statement also quoted the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, to have extended his condolences to the bereaved family, praying that the Almighty grants them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Decrying the persistent scourge of reckless driving and indiscriminate roadside passenger pickups, Bakare-Oki admonished commercial bus operators to confine all passenger activities strictly to designated bus stops provided by Government in order to safeguard lives and maintain order.
“The sanctity of human life must never be compromised by recklessness on our highways. The Lagos State Government, through LASTMA, shall continue to intensify enforcement and sustain public enlightenment campaigns to forestall preventable tragedies of this nature,” the General Manager declared.
