By James Ogunnaike

Abeokuta— Five persons lost their lives yesterday , while nine others sustained injuries in multiple road accidents along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Public Education Officer of the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Florence Okpe, disclosed this in a statement in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

According to Okpe, the accident involved a Mazda bus and a truck along the Car Park C section of the expressway.

She said the accident occurred when the truck lost control due to brake failure and rammed into the bus while it was attempting to turn.

She added: “The crash involved two vehicles: a yellow Mazda bus with number plate, LGB465XA, and an Ash Howo truck with no registration number.

“A total of 12 passengers (seven male adults and five female adults) were involved in the crash. Two male adults and three female adults were killed, while five male adults and two female adults were injured.

“The injured victims were taken to Famobis Hospital, Mowe, while the corpses were deposited at Idera Morgue.

“The suspected causes of the crash were speeding, brake failure and loss of control on the part of the Howo truck, which rammed into the Mazda bus as the driver was negotiating a turning point at Car Park C.”
In a related incident, two persons sustained injuries while six vehicles were burnt after a petrol-laden tanker exploded opposite the NASFAT junction along the expressway yesterday.

It was gathered that the tanker was trying to make a turn at the junction when it overturned, spilled its contents on the road and later caught fire.

An eyewitness said: “The tanker was trying to make a turn when it fell to its side and spilled the petrol before catching fire.”

The fire accident also led to traffic disruption on both sides of the expressway as vehicles were held at a standstill.

Confirming the casualties, spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said two people suffered severe injuries, adding that six vehicles, including four trucks, one bus and one Toyota Camry, were involved.

He said, “Two male casualties were at the scene of a tanker that caught fire at NASFAT along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The casualties have been taken to OOUTH by OGSAES.”

In a further update, he added, “The earlier reported casualties could not be taken to OOUTH due to heavy traffic; they have been taken to Famobis Hospital at Lotto.”

In another incident, a tanker fell along the same expressway, causing motorists to be held in a standstill for several hours around noon, close to the Ogere bridge.

It was gathered that a fuel tanker fell on one side of the road while an 18-tyre truck conveying stones fell on the other side.

There was a heavy presence of law enforcement agents at the scene, including firefighters from the Ogun State government.

Drivers said they spent several hours in traffic as some attempted alternative routes.