Three students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, have been confirmed to have died by the state’s traffic management authority (LASTMA) during multiple auto crashes in the state.
The three deceased students, including two males and one female, were pronounced dead by medical experts who examined the bodies after the crash
Meanwhile, six others and a commercial tricycle operator popularly called Keke NAPEP, sustained varying degrees of injuries during the accident that occurred meters away from the varsity’s main campus.
The accident that occurred around Powerline Junction, before Aleje, inward the Ikorodu roundabout, on Saturday involved an unregistered truck laden with sand, a Toyota Corolla (SMK 42 AJ), an MPV bus, and four tricycles.
The LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who confirmed the sad development, revealed that the truck, traveling at an excessive speed, suffered a mechanical brake failure, which caused the driver to lose control.
According to him, the runaway vehicle careened into other road users, colliding forcefully with multiple vehicles and tricycles in its path, leading to devastating wreckage and loss of lives.
In a statement made available to newsmen by LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency boss noted that the casualties could have been more, but the swift response of the LASTMA officials and other emergency agencies forestalled secondary accidents at the scene.
“Together, they rescued and swiftly conveyed seven critically injured victims to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while the three deceased casualties were respectfully evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary.
“Following the evacuation, all wrecked vehicles were meticulously removed from the accident scene by LASTMA personnel to restore order and ensure the free flow of traffic along the corridor”.
Bakare-Oki lamented that the incident was entirely avoidable, decrying the recurring menace of recklessness, overspeeding, and poor vehicular maintenance, particularly defective braking systems, as persistent causes of fatal road mishaps across the State.
He sternly admonished all commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators to strictly adhere to statutory speed limits, undergo periodic mechanical checks, and uphold the highest standards of road discipline to preserve lives and property on Lagos roads.
Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment, the General Manager assured members of the public that LASTMA remains steadfast in its mission to promote road safety, enforce traffic discipline, and ensure rapid emergency response across all parts of Lagos State.
