Four people have died and another sustained injuries in a road crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State while their death adds another safety concern to a corridor already struggling with severe traffic congestion.
The Ogun State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed the crash on Wednesday when he said eight people were involved in the incident involving two vehicles.
The FRSC spokesperson, Afolabi Odunsin, disclosed that preliminary findings linked the collision to excessive speed and wrongful overtaking.
According to him, a blue Mitsubishi Cabstar, registration number FGE 753 XA, was travelling at high speed when its driver attempted to overtake and rammed into a moving ash-coloured HOWO truck, marked T-695 KT.
“Fatigue was also identified as a contributing factor, as the driver was reportedly fatigued during the journey,” Odunsin said.
Four male adults died in the impact, while another male adult suffered injuries. Three other occupants escaped without injuries, according to the road safety agency.
Rescuers took the injured victim to Victory Hospital in Ogere, where he was admitted for medical attention. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the FOS Mortuary in Ipara.
Odunsin added that both vehicles had been transferred to the Police Motor Traffic Division, Isara Division, for further investigation and necessary action.
The crash occured at a particularly difficult time for motorists who depend on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of the major routes connecting Lagos with Ogun and other parts of southwestern Nigeria.
Traffic movement along the highway has been severely constrained by ongoing rehabilitation of the Kara Bridge, while reduced road space continue to cause lengthy delays and creating difficult conditions for motorists.
The Federal Government began a two-week rehabilitation of the bridge on September 8, with workers replacing damaged expansion joints. The project is scheduled to continue until September 22.
The situation deteriorated further on Tuesday after several crashes were recorded around the Kara Bridge, including one involving a 40-foot container-laden truck.
Those incidents compounded the restrictions created by the repair work and contributed to a gridlock that left some motorists stranded for more than 14 hours.
Traffic backed up beyond the Long Bridge towards Magboro and into parts of Lagos, while some travellers abandoned vehicles and trekked considerable distances after prolonged delays.
By Wednesday morning, movement was still sluggish around Kara Bridge and the OPIC turnin. The traffic queues have now extended beyond the Long Bridge, according to traffic updates.
The congestion has also generated complaints from commuters over increased transport fares, lost working hours and the difficulty of reaching workplaces and other destinations.
However, the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s fatal crash point to a different set of immediate factors. The FRSC identified speeding, unsafe overtaking and driver fatigue in its preliminary assessment rather than linking the collision directly to the ongoing bridge repairs.
The distinction is significant on a route where high traffic volumes, restricted carriageway space and frequent vehicle breakdowns can rapidly magnify the consequences of an individual road incident.
Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, consequently called on motorists to exercise greater caution, particularly during early-morning journeys.
He advised drivers embarking on long-distance trips to obtain adequate rest before setting out and to avoid overtaking unless conditions make the manoeuvre safe and permissible.
The FRSC has continued to deploy personnel to manage traffic and respond to incidents along the highway as rehabilitation work proceeds.
The recent crash has consequently added four fatalities to a week already marked by serious disruption on the Lagos-Ibadan route. It has renewed attention on both responsible driving and the need for effective traffic management while the Kara Bridge project continues.
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