Tragedy struck in the Oshodi area of
Lagos State on Tuesday after a truck lost control, killing and injuring many
people.
Many eyewitnesses at the scene gave conflicting reports of the number of people killed and wounded in the accident.
The number of the dead ranged between 12
and 20. But police authority confirmed that only six people died, while
five people were wounded.
However, the News Agency of Nigeria
reported that the Oshodi Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety
Corps, Mr. Samuel Ogundayo, said 19 people were involved in the
accident, adding that eight of them died.
It was learnt that among the dead was an unidentified pregnant woman, whose foetus was also crushed in the accident.
We learnt that the truck, which was laden with sand, was heading towards Mile 2 area when it experienced a brake failure.
A newspaper vendor on the Oshodi Oke
Bridge, Michael Okafor, told our correspondent that the truck ran into
bystanders at the Oshodi Motor Park.
Okafor said, “Around 11.30am, many
people were standing at the part of the motor park, where Mile 2 buses
park when the truck just ran into them. The truck also ran into some of
the vehicles there. So many people were crushed and blood was all over
the place.
“The driver immediately ran away, but he was later arrested by policemen from Makinde Police Station.”
The incident was said to have caused
traffic congestion on the Mile 2 bound lane as bystanders and motorists
rushed to the scene to assist the victims.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi
Braide, said the driver, Lawrence Nwaodu, had been arrested and the
vehicle had been impounded.
Braide said the victims had been rushed
to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where they were
responding to treatment.
Braide warned motorists, especially
truck drivers, to always check their vehicles before driving on the
expressway as cases of truck accidents had risen in recent times.
She said, “At exactly 12pm, a fatal
motor accident occurred at Oshodi, Motor Park. When police officers from
Makinde Division led by the Divisional Police Officer arrived at the
scene, they discovered that it was caused by a tipper, which was
carrying sand, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, inward Mile 2 service
lane.
“The tipper, with number plate,
JJJ824XD, owned by the Lords chosen Church, lost control due to a brake
failure and ran into three stationary vehicles in the park. In the
process, all the vehicles got damaged while five yet-to-be identified
female pedestrians lost their lives.
“One of the deceased was a pregnant
woman, whose foetus also gushed out, bringing the casualty figure to six
in number. About five people were also injured and they are currently
receiving treatment at LASUTH.
“We have apprehended the driver of the
truck, whose name is Lawrence Nwaodu, 45 years. The four vehicles
involved have been taken to LASTMA office, while calm has also returned
in the area.”
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