Five die as truck, car collide on Badagry Expressway

The scene of the crash. Photo: LASEMA

Five persons have died in a fatal collision between a car and a truck on the Badagry Expressway in Lagos. The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday at Sawmill, near Mowo Bus Stop.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, said it received a distress call at 5:16am and immediately deployed its Dolphin Team from the Igando base to the scene.

On arrival, operatives discovered that a Toyota Camry with registration number FKJ 630KS had collided head-on with an Iveco truck bearing registration number T28081 LA.

A statement by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, on Saturday, said preliminary investigations showed that the crash was caused by over-speeding and reckless driving on the part of the Camry driver.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was caused by over-speeding and reckless driving on the part of the Toyota Camry driver. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, veered into the opposite lane and had a head-on collision with the oncoming Iveco truck,” the statement read.

It added that five adult male occupants of the car died from the impact of the collision.

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“Regrettably, the impact of the collision resulted in the death of five adult males who were occupants of the Toyota Camry. The remains of the victims were carefully recovered, bagged with dignity, and handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps for further necessary action,” it added.

The statement listed the responders at the scene to include the LASEMA Dolphin Team, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and police operatives from the Morogbo Division.

It said two tow trucks were deployed to clear the wreckage from the expressway, adding that the vehicles were subsequently taken to the Morogbo Police Division. The road, it said, had been cleared and reopened to motorists.

Oke-Osanyintolu commiserated with the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.

He urged motorists to desist from over-speeding, wrongful overtaking and other dangerous driving practices, particularly during early morning hours, noting that road safety remained a shared responsibility.

The permanent secretary said LASEMA remained committed to prompt emergency response and inter-agency collaboration in line with the Lagos State Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda, which is aimed at protecting the lives and property of residents.