By Christopher Oji
Eight people died and eight others were injured in a tragic road crash at Atura Bus Stop, Badagry, Lagos, involving a commercial bus and a DAF truck.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) attributed the accident to carelessness and over speeding. According to LASTMA, whose personnel were the first responders, the crash occurred at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, involving a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus (registration: KJA 811 YF) and a DAF truck (registration: T1 4636 LA).
Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, stated that the accident claimed eight lives, including the driver and conductor of the bus. “LASTMA operatives, in concert with personnel from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, Morogbo Division, and the 244 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Ibereko Barracks, swiftly launched a coordinated rescue operation at the accident scene.
“Their timely intervention led to the successful extraction of eight surviving passengers, all of whom sustained varying degrees of trauma. These casualties were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital, Badagry, via an FRSC vehicle for critical medical attention.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial bus lost control while navigating at a perilously high speed, leading to a collision with a DAF truck. The resultant impact was described as cataclysmic, leaving little chance for evasion or survival for several occupants of the bus.”
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who visited the crash site, extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for their fortitude. “This heart-wrenching incident is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution. No journey should end in such tragedy. May the Almighty grant the deceased eternal rest and console those left behind,” he declared.
He wished a swift recovery to the surviving victims and urged commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators to avoid excessive speeding, adhere to safety protocols, and maintain their vehicles regularly to prevent fatalities. “This regrettable loss of lives could have been avoided if the basic tenets of defensive driving and vehicular safety had been upheld. Speed remains a silent killer on our highways.”
Bakare-Oki highlighted LASTMA’s shift from conventional traffic regulation to holistic incident management, aligning with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which prioritises preventive safety, rapid emergency response, and infrastructural innovation. “We are no longer merely controlling traffic; we are managing emergencies, mitigating disasters, and saving lives. This is the ethos of contemporary traffic administration.”
He noted the deployment of speed-limiting mechanisms at critical flashpoints across Lagos to reduce road carnage and foster a culture of compliance. LASTMA expressed gratitude to FRSC, the Nigeria Police, and the Nigerian Army for their coordinated intervention and commended its operatives’ professionalism. The agency appealed to road users to exercise caution, situational awareness, and civic responsibility, particularly on intercity corridors where speed, fatigue, and inattention often lead to devastating consequences.
LASTMA remains committed to protecting lives, preserving order, and ensuring a safer commuting environment for all Lagosians.