A devastating accident on Tuesday morning along the Ojoo-Iwo Road section of the Ibadan-Lagos expressway near the Agbowo/Ajao area has left at least 16 people dead and 17 others injured.
The tragic incident occurred when a trailer loaded with roofing sheets collided with an 18-seater Toyota bus, a Micra taxi, and a Honda CR-V car.
Eyewitnesses report that the trailer experienced brake failure, leading to the catastrophic collision with the other vehicles, all of which were traveling in the same direction.
The crash, which has shocked the local community, underscores the ongoing risks associated with the heavily trafficked expressway.
Vanguard reports that eyewitnesses, Mr. Emmanuel Omotoso and Mrs. Funmi Adejumo, believe the ongoing construction on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway may have contributed to the high fatality rate, as one lane of the expressway was blocked, forcing all vehicles onto a single lane. This bottleneck situation, according to the eyewitnesses, likely played a significant role in the accident’s severity.
In the aftermath, motorists have appealed to the Oyo State government to invest in heavy towing vehicles and ambulance buses to improve emergency response capabilities. They also called on the contractors responsible for the road construction to expedite the work and reopen the closed lane to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Private towing vehicles were crucial in the rescue efforts, helping to clear the wreckage and extract trapped passengers. The injured victims were quickly transported to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care.
Roseline Alo, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Oyo State, confirmed the accident and the casualties. She reported that 16 people lost their lives, while 17 others sustained injuries.
Alo also noted that two individuals escaped the crash unharmed. The driver of the trailer, however, fled the scene immediately after the accident.
As authorities continue their investigation, the incident has sparked renewed calls for improved road safety measures and quicker completion of ongoing roadworks to ensure the safety of road users.