Nine die in Lagos-Ibadan expressway autocrash

• Truck kills two in Lagos
Nine persons were yesterday confirmed dead, while five others sustained different degrees of injury, in an early morning accident in Asese area on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The accident, which occurred at about 5:30a.m. involved two vehicles – Mercedes Benz Macopolo bus, with registration number SMK 867 XG, and Iveco Truck AAA 193 XP.

The Guardian learnt that 42 passengers – 34 male adults and eight female adults were involved in the fatal accident, which according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), was attributed to over-speeding and dangerous driving on the part of the bus, which lost control and collided with the parked truck.

According to the Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Clement Oladele, the casualties – seven male adults and two female adults – have been taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) morgue, Sagamu, while the injured were taken to Divine Touch hospital, Ibafo.

In another development, an articulated truck laden with container yesterday crushed two persons to death at Irawo bus-stop, along Ikorodu road, Lagos State. The incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday when both men were waiting to board buses to their respective destinations.

An eyewitness, simply identified as Small, who collects park levies from commercial bus drivers, said the driver of the truck lost control, before ramming into the two waiting passengers. The deceased were crushed on the spot as one of the deceased’s personal belongings were seen scattered at the scene of the accident.

“It happened at about 6:00a.m. when the container suddenly lost control and rammed into two persons. Other passengers waiting for buses scampered for safety. Look at the food the man was taking to work and his shoes there. We rushed them to the hospital in Ikorodu, but they died as soon as we got there,” he said.

Adejoke Adeoyin, sister of the deceased, told newsmen that she was informed of her brother’s death via a phone call. “I live in Oshodi, I was shocked to receive the news that my brother was crushed by a container this morning while waiting to board a bus to Ikoyi where he works. He was with the wife at the place, but she said she would prefer to board BRT instead of bus. His waist downward was totally crushed. Even if he had survived it, he would not have been the same,” she said.

Adejoke lamented that the driver of the container was too young to handle the weight of such heavy truck, which according to her, was said to be responsible for the accident. “The driver of that container is not older than 22 years and he is driving such a heavy vehicle.

“What is the government doing? These drivers kill people without any punishment. It is not fair. He is dead now at 45, when no one expected it. He just parted with his wife to go to work. She is now a widow with two children,” she wailed.