A passenger has died following a lone accident involving a commercial Volkswagen bus at Ogunlana Junction, inward Ojuelegba, in the Surulere area of Lagos State.
The crash occurred during the weekend when the bus, with registration number LND 130 XR, reportedly rammed into a median pole at Ogunlana Junction around the Fallout area.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said preliminary findings suggested that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and driving recklessly before the accident.
According to him, motorists approaching the area from behind were forced to exercise caution to avoid colliding with the erratically driven vehicle.
Bakare-Oki explained that amid the confusion that followed, a male passenger reportedly attempted to escape from the moving bus by jumping out.
The passenger sustained severe injuries after hitting the ground and later died from the injuries.
LASTMA officials carrying out routine traffic surveillance around the Ojuelegba axis quickly arrived at the scene. They introduced emergency traffic management measures, secured the area and removed the damaged vehicle and the deceased from the road.
The agency said the prompt response prevented the possibility of a secondary accident and reduced further risks to motorists and other road users.
Security personnel from the Area C Police Division, Ojuelegba, also provided security at the scene, while officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) evacuated the remains of the deceased.
Bakare-Oki described the incident as a reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and using vehicles that are not mechanically fit for the road.
He condoled with the family of the deceased and urged both commercial and private motorists to carry out proper mechanical checks on their vehicles before embarking on journeys.
He particularly advised motorists to pay attention to critical components such as brakes, tyres and steering systems to reduce the risk of accidents.
The LASTMA general manager reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to responding quickly to road emergencies, managing traffic effectively and protecting lives on Lagos roads.
He also encouraged motorists to report traffic incidents, accidents, vehicle breakdowns and road obstructions through LASTMA’s toll-free short code, 3367.
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