A tragic road accident in the early hours of Sunday has killed eight people after a commercial 16-seater Mazda bus collided head-on with a DAF truck at the Atura Bus Stop, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The fatal crash, confirmed by the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, involved a Mazda bus with registration number KJA 811 YF and a DAF truck bearing the plate number T1 4636 LA.

According to Bakare-Oki, all eight victims, including the driver and conductor of the bus, died instantly. Eight other passengers sustained various degrees of injuries and were quickly transported to the Badagry General Hospital by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, for urgent medical care.

Emergency response teams comprising personnel from LASTMA, FRSC, the Nigeria Police (Morogbo Division), and troops from the 244 Battalion, Ibereko Barracks, worked in concert to evacuate the scene and rescue survivors.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the commercial bus was traveling at high speed when the driver lost control and veered into the path of the oncoming truck. The impact was described as catastrophic, offering little chance of survival for several passengers.

Bakare-Oki, who visited the accident site, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

“This painful event is a stark reminder of how precious and fragile life is. No one should begin a journey and not return. We mourn with the families and pray for strength in this time of grief,” he said.

He also conveyed his best wishes for the full recovery of the injured passengers and issued a stern advisory to all commercial and articulated vehicle operators to adhere strictly to safety regulations, emphasizing that excessive speeding and reckless driving continue to endanger lives on Nigerian roads.

The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, has said no fewer than 10 persons have lost their lives and three others were severely injured after an 18-seater bus plunged off the Omu bridge located at Awa along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Expressway.

OSUNDAILY NG reports that the accident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

The TRACE spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirming the incident on Saturday, said the bus conveying 15 passengers included three women and seven men, while two persons, including a toddler and an adult, escaped unhurt.

He attributed the cause of the crash to excessive speed and warned motorists against overtaking and night travel, saying such reckless behaviour has continued to claim lives on the highways.

The TRACE spokesman disclosed that the corpses have been deposited at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital morgue, while the injured passengers were responding to treatment.

He said, “15 persons were involved in the crash. Sadly, 10 of them – three women and seven men – were confirmed dead at the scene, while three others suffered injuries. Two persons, including a toddler and an adult, escaped the crash unhurt.

“The deceased victims were evacuated and their remains deposited at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital morgue.

The injured passengers were also taken to the same facility for treatment,” he added.

Crown FC head coach Ayodeji Ayeni has urged his players to bounce back from the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 opening day defeat to Kun Khalifat FC.

The Ajilete Warriors suffered a 1-0 defeat to Kun Khalifat FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on Saturday.

Ayeni said that the defeat won’t derail their target for promotion.

“As you can see, it is a marathon. It’s not yet over for any team,” Ayeni reacted after the game.

“Our first match doesn’t determine the league and ambition. We can go ahead and win the next two matches.”

Crown FC will lock horns with Osun United in the second match of the tournament on Monday.