Again, Container Smashes Commercial Bus, Injures Five

For the umpteenth time, a heavy duty truck, conveying a container laden with goods to an unknown destination, rammed and smashed a white and blue inter-state 18-seater commercial bus in Lagos. Although no life was lost, no fewer than five persons were seriously injured in the ghastly accident that occurred at Ilupeju, along the Gbagada-Oworonshoki Expressway, inward Anthony Bus Stop between the heavy duty truck and the commercial bus.

This is just as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Fatai Owoseni, who happened to be the first responder, halted his convoy to assist the accident victims. The accident happened as a fallout of the high speed of a heavy-duty vehicle laden with a container-loaded goods, whose propeller swerved to the next lane into a moving 18 passenger Toyota Hiace commercial bus with registration number Lagos MUS 684XC. Confirming the incident, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Michael Akindele, said the agency received the distress call and rushed to the scene. He said: “The agency received a distress call today of a container accident at Ilupeju Oshodi Express Way inward Anthony. On getting to the scene of the accident, It was gathered that the container while on high speed developed a mechanical fault (propeller) and swerved to the next lane into a moving 18-seater passenger Toyota Hiace commercial bus with registration number Lagos MUS 684XC.

The timely intervention of the Comissioner of Police Mr, Fatai Owoseni, who stopped his convoy and assisted in activating emergency response and recovery of the injured victims assisted the recovery operation with other responders. These includes the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) and the LASEMA Response Team with the Nigerian Police from Ilupeju Division. No life was lost but the injured victims (three females and two males) were rescued and handed over to LASAMBUS and were treated and taken to Gbagada General Hospital for further medical attention The agency’s Emergency Response Team Towing Truck were used for the recovery operation of the accidented vehicles off the road to allow free flow of traffic.

“We appeal to motorists to ensure safety and road worthiness of their vehicles before taking them on the road to avoid incident such as this.”
Also confirming the incident, the state police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, said the
police commissioner who was on his way for an official assignment had to stop to assist emergency workers in rescuing the injured.

She also credited Owoseni for also ensuring that the road was cleared for free flow of traffic, adding that “The accident caused traffic snarl on Oshodi-Oworonshoki Expressway. Five persons were seriously injured but there was no death”