EIGHT people were, on Sunday, confirmed dead, and eight others injured in a road accident at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), which disclosed this in a statement, said that the accident involved a collision between a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus, with registration number KJA 811 YF, and a DAF truck, marked T1 4636 LA.
The agency said a preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial bus lost control while navigating at a dangerous “high speed, leading to a catastrophic collision with a DAF truck”.
It said that the impact created by the accident left little chance for survival for several occupants of the bus.
“The tragic accident instantly claimed the lives of eight passengers, including the driver of the ill-fated bus and his conductor, casting a somber pall over the Badagry axis and leaving the community in profound mourning and collective grief,” the statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, read in part.
“LASTMA operatives, in concert with personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force (Morogbo Division), and the 244 Battalion of the Nigerian Army (Ibereko Barracks), swiftly launched a coordinated rescue operation at the accident scene. Their timely intervention led to the successful extraction of eight surviving passengers, all of whom sustained varying degrees of trauma,” it added.
The agency said that the casualties were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital in Badagry with an FRSC vehicle for critical medical attention.
According to the statement, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who visited the crash site to personally evaluate the situation, extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for divine fortitude to help them withstand the irreplaceable loss.
“This heart-wrenching incident is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution. No journey should end in such tragedy. May the Almighty grant the deceased eternal rest and console those left behind,” he was quoted as saying.
He further extended warm wishes for a swift and full recovery to the surviving victims still undergoing treatment.
Bakare-Oki, however, advised commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators to eschew excessive speeding, adhere strictly to safety protocols, and ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles to avoid unnecessary fatalities.
“This regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided if the basic tenets of defensive driving and vehicular safety had been upheld. Speed remains a silent killer on our highways,” he said.
The GM further reiterated the agency’s transition from conventional traffic regulation to a more holistic incident management paradigm.
This, he noted, was in alignment with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which prioritises preventive safety measures, rapid emergency response, and infrastructural innovation in urban mobility.
“We are no longer merely controlling traffic; we are managing emergencies, mitigating disasters, and saving lives. This is the ethos of contemporary traffic administration,” he emphasised.
“He also highlighted the deployment of speed-limiting mechanisms at critical flashpoints across Lagos—part of the state government’s broader commitment to reducing road carnage, protecting commuters, and fostering a culture of compliance and safety.
“While applauding the professionalism and courage of LASTMA operatives who were first on the scene, the agency once again appeals to all road users to demonstrate heightened caution, situational awareness, and civic responsibility, particularly on intercity corridors where speed, fatigue, and inattention too often yield devastating consequences,” the statement added.
The accident occurred hours after 10 people died and three others were injured in a road crash on Ome Bridge inbound Awa, Ijebu Ode, Obada Expressway, in the Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State on Saturday.