Truck driver flees after fatal collision at Eleko junction; victim dies, spouse in critical condition

Stanley Ihedigbo

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) today responded swiftly to a tragic road traffic incident at Eleko Junction along the Lekki–Ajah Expressway, resulting in the death of a male motorist and critical injuries to his wife.

According to the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, preliminary investigations reveal that an articulated truck, heavily laden with granite and travelling from the Epe axis at high speed, reportedly experienced a catastrophic brake failure near Eleko Junction.

The mechanical malfunction caused the truck to veer off its lane and collide forcefully with a Toyota saloon car travelling from Ajah toward Epe.

The immense impact caused the truck to topple onto the smaller vehicle, crushing it under its weight. The driver of the Toyota became trapped in the mangled wreckage.

Through the courageous and coordinated efforts of LASTMA personnel and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), assisted by public-spirited bystanders, the victim was extricated from the debris. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife sustained life-threatening injuries and was immediately transported to a medical facility for urgent treatment.

The articulated truck driver, in a flagrant dereliction of duty, fled the scene before authorities could take action. Security reinforcement was provided by operatives of the Akodo Police Division, who maintained order and safeguarded the area during rescue operations.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed profound condolences to the bereaved family, describing the incident as a deeply distressing and preventable tragedy.

He also prayed for the full and speedy recovery of the critically injured spouse and reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to enforcing traffic laws and ensuring road safety, particularly against reckless driving and mechanical negligence.

In a separate incident, a 33,000-litre fuel tanker erupted into flames at midnight around Ile-Zik inward Magboro along the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway.

LASTMA, in coordination with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, responded promptly to contain and extinguish the blaze, preventing a potential large-scale disaster.

Traffic was temporarily diverted into the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor to ensure emergency access, and normal flow was restored after the successful containment and recovery operations.