The LAGOS-IBADAN expressway, is one busy road that evade road users mind, when it comes to moving out of Lagos. For some it has had its own fair share of sad occurrences, regarding accidents in Nigeria history. The rich do not need to worry, as most of their trips are done on air. This is not so for the average man, as he is left with no option- regardless of hike in transportation. In rare cases, the annual departures of most Lagos residents causes a ridiculous ride in the cost of transportation.
It is in one of these adventures, on the 23rd of December, 2000, about 11:00am that an accident which looked like a head on collision involving 2 mini vans, and a trailer took place, along this same road. Eye witness, testified that road work was on going on one lane of the express, causing slow vehicular movements. It was learnt that, a trailer driver whose identity hidden was driving at a normal speed on 1 lane of the road. 2 oncoming vans approached him, with one of them trying to overtake the other. In the course of doing this, the driver miscalculated, and ran into the oncoming trailer causing a terrible accident that somersaulted all 3 vehicles.It was gathered that 5 persons died instantly, that include the van drivers, leaving 5 seriously injured. A passenger from another vehicle whose car had stopped had to call the E.M.S(emergency service), closest to the scene of the accident.
Not later than an hour, 2 state ambulances arrived the scene. Their occupants- 3 male and 2 female, with the aid of some passengers who were now grieving carried the bodies of all 5 dead, into 1 of the ambulance. And the rest injured victims taken into the other vehicle.
In the course of this, a serious gridlock was already building, as passengers were sen outside their vehicle trying to see what could have caused the traffic. The traffic, was due to the fact that in the course of the somersault, upon landing, the trailer crashed onto the middle of the road causing a demarche- preventing vehicular movements from both ends.
After a long wait of about an hour, another men from the same EMS unit, arrived. This time with a gigantic forklift equipment intended to evacuate the trailer causing the blockage. It took about 45 minutes, to lift the vehicle. Some passengers count help, but stare, while several others took pictures of the scene actions. Eventually, the vehicle was removed, and free vehicular traffic restored. Passengers gave a sigh of relief, as they were asked to proceed with their journey, even though it seemed like nothing happened.