Following a head-on collision with a Mercedes-Benz SUV that was allegedly traveling against traffic on Lagos’ Badagry Expressway, a commercial tricycle rider lost their life in a fatal traffic accident on Sunday.
The black 4MATIC SUV with the customized license plate OSUNFNKE allegedly went against the flow of traffic from Ile-Epo towards Oko-Afo and collided with the tricycle, registered MUS 716 QM, at the Origan, Oko-Afo axis of the expressway.
The SUV driver was clearly breaking the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 by driving on the wrong side of the road, according to preliminary findings, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) revealed in a statement released on Monday.
The impact of the collision was so severe that the tricycle operator sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene before emergency services arrived.
LASTMA officials, who quickly responded to the incident, worked to control the ensuing traffic and coordinated with other rescue agencies. Officers from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also joined the emergency effort, transporting the deceased’s body to the mortuary at the General Hospital in Badagry.
The case has since been handed over to the Morogbo Division of the Nigeria Police Force, where further investigations are ongoing. Both the tricycle and the SUV have been impounded pending forensic analysis and legal action.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the event as a “shocking reminder of the dangers of traffic lawlessness” and condemned the driver’s conduct as “a reckless act that cost an innocent life.”
“It is deeply troubling that despite ongoing public awareness campaigns and strict enforcement, some drivers still engage in dangerous practices like wrong-way driving,” he said.
Bakare-Oki offered his condolences to the victim’s family and urged all motorists to respect traffic rules to prevent needless loss of life on Lagos roads.
LASTMA reiterated its commitment to safer road usage and warned that violators of traffic regulations will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
