A tragic accident on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos yesterday claimed the life of a police officer after a reckless driver rammed into the officer’s motorcycle at the Adekunle inward Iyana Oworo axis of the bridge.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the fatal incident involved a Lexus vehicle with registration number EPE 765 JN and a Bajaj motorcycle ridden by the deceased police officer.

According to LASTMA, the officer died instantly from injuries sustained in the crash, while the driver of the Lexus vehicle subsequently turned himself in at the Adekunle Police Division.

Officials of LASTMA, alongside operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, responded promptly to the distress call and moved to the scene to manage traffic, secure the area, and commence preliminary investigations.

To prevent secondary accidents and ensure the safety of commuters, traffic safety cones and cautionary devices were strategically placed around the affected section of the bridge while police officers documented the scene and began investigations into the crash.

Recovery and evacuation operations were also immediately coordinated to remove the affected vehicles and restore normal traffic flow along the corridor.
Despite the severity of the incident, vehicular movement around the axis was effectively managed due to the prompt intervention of LASTMA officials deployed to the scene.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sadness over the death of the police officer.

And urged motorists to obey traffic regulations and avoid reckless driving.

He stressed the need for drivers to exercise caution, maintain speed limits, and cultivate responsible driving habits to reduce avoidable road crashes and fatalities across Lagos State.

In a related development, a truck driver allegedly crushed two motorcyclists to death at Idogbo, headquarters of Ikpoba-Okha Local Council of Edo State.

The victims were reportedly killed after the truck driver lost control and rammed into them at the Idogbo bypass along the Benin-Abraka Highway.

Eyewitnesses said the truck was approaching from the Abraka end of the highway when the driver lost control of the vehicle. When contacted, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed that the truck driver had been arrested for further investigation.