Three persons have died, and six others sustained injuries after a truck reportedly suffered brake failure at the Sango-Ota tollgate along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The crash, which occurred around 2:15 p.m. on Friday, involved a white Howo Sino truck that reportedly lost control while descending the Ilo-Awela slope towards the toll gate.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the truck rammed into bystanders waiting to board commercial buses and crashed into several vehicles at the bus stop.
Akinbiyi said an eyewitness account indicated that the truck suffered brake failure before crushing victims and damaging multiple vehicles in its path.
The affected vehicles included commercial buses and Suzuki yellow buses parked at the bus stop when the accident occurred.
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He added that a total of 15 occupants were involved in the crash, with three males and three females sustaining injuries, while one male adult, one female adult and a female toddler died.
The injured victims were taken to the State Hospital in Onipanu, Ota, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the morgue of Ifo General Hospital.
The incident comes barely two weeks after a similar accident at the same tollgate, which reportedly claimed six lives and injured three others.
Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency has advised drivers of articulated vehicles to ensure proper maintenance of their vehicles to prevent such incidents.
The agency also warned traders displaying goods along walkways and roadsides to remove their wares due to the dangers posed by roadside trading.
Emergency responders and officials of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE arrived at the scene shortly after the crash to rescue victims and restore order to the busy expressway. The accident caused heavy traffic congestion along the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway as motorists struggled to navigate the affected section of the road.
Officials said the truck was eventually towed away from the tollgate area to ease the gridlock, while security personnel cordoned off the scene to prevent further casualties. Road users and commuters in the area were also advised to exercise caution as rescue operations were ongoing.
Some eyewitnesses described the incident as terrifying, noting that people waiting at the bus stop ran for safety when the truck suddenly lost control while descending the slope toward the tollgate.
Meanwhile, TRACE urged drivers, particularly operators of heavy-duty trucks, to regularly check their braking systems and other critical components before embarking on trips to avoid preventable road crashes.
