A driver, motor boy and 18 passengers, on Sunday, lost their lives after an 18-seater bus had a head-on collision with a truck at the Age-Mowo end of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the commercial bus left the Yaba area of the state and was heading to the Republic of Benin when the driver of the bus attempted to overtake a vehicle, lost control and rammed into the truck.
The Director, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Taofiq Adebayo, who confirmed the crash, said the commercial bus experienced brake failure while the driver was overtaking another vehicle, adding that the crash claimed 20 lives.
He said, “The accident happened about 9am this morning at Age-Mowo, close to Mowo, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. It involved a Mazda commercial bus fully loaded and a truck loaded with sand.
“The driver of the commercial bus lost control because of a brake failure when he saw a truck ahead of him and tried to overtake the truck loaded with sand. Immediately, 20 people including the passengers with the commercial bus driver and his motor-boy died.”
According to Adebayo, a preliminary investigation revealed the commercial bus was chartered by 18 family members and friends to take them to a family party in the Republic of Benin when the accident happened.
He said officials of the LASTMA were on the ground and supported by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps to move corpses to the Badagry General Hospital.
“It was very unfortunate with the enlightenment campaign embarked upon by LASTMA informing the motoring public, particularly commercial bus drivers not to drive at top speed whenever they are on the road.
“LASTMA has been moving from different motor parks across the state to educate both private and commercial bus drivers on the danger of excessive speeding and drinking alcohol while driving.
“The General Manager, LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, sent his condolences to the family of those that died during the accident,” he added.
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