…the tanker experienced brake failure, lost control, hit a Toyota Corolla and then rammed into a roadside shop.
LAGOS, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Tanker-related crash has claimed one life, while four others were rescued at Ekoro Junction inward Abule-Egba, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed on Friday evening.
The agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement shared on LASTMA’s X handle on Saturday.
According to the statement, the accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when an empty MACK tanker experienced brake failure, lost control, hit a Toyota Corolla and then rammed into a roadside shop. The tanker, bearing registration number EKY 900 XY, collided with a Toyota Corolla marked AAA 823 AY.
The collision caused significant structural damage to the shop and sparked panic among traders and passersby.
“The magnitude of the collision led to the immediate confirmation of one fatality at the scene, while four other trapped persons were extricated from the wreckage through coordinated emergency rescue efforts,” the agency said.
LASTMA added that it promptly activated its Rescue and Recovery Protocol, deploying specialised personnel to manage the emergency. Officers carried out traffic diversion, vehicle evacuation and crowd control operations in collaboration with other responders to prevent further incidents and ensure unhindered access for rescue teams.
Emergency officials provided medical care to the injured, while a heavy-duty tow truck was later deployed to remove the damaged tanker and clear debris to restore normal traffic flow.
The agency noted that the tanker driver fled shortly after the crash, and security operatives have launched a manhunt to apprehend him and commence legal action.
Officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Ekoro Division, were said to have swiftly secured the scene, maintained order and supported investigations to determine the sequence of events that led to the mechanical failure and crash.
The incident caused heavy traffic congestion on adjoining routes toward Abule-Egba, prompting sustained traffic control measures by LASTMA officials to ease the gridlock.
LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged transport operators, especially drivers of articulated vehicles, to prioritise regular vehicle maintenance.
He stressed that avoidable mechanical faults remain a major contributor to serious road crashes and advised motorists to remain vigilant, obey traffic rules and drive responsibly, particularly in busy commercial areas.
Bakare-Oki assured the public that a comprehensive investigation would be conducted to establish both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash, adding that anyone found culpable would face prosecution in line with the law.
Other emergency agencies at the scene included the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, who jointly coordinated rescue, medical and environmental safety efforts.
