Container truck overturns on bus in Lagos, killing four

Four people died on Wednesday morning when an articulated truck carrying a 20-foot container overturned onto a Toyota Hiace bus on Berger Bridge, inward Eleko, along the Ibeju-Lekki Expressway in Lagos.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the crash happened in the early hours. Its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said preliminary findings showed the truck was climbing the bridge at excessive speed when it hit the bus, and the driver lost control while trying to avoid the collision.

Four adult males were confirmed dead at the scene. LASEMA said responders from its Epe Base worked with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police Force to secure the area and give first aid, and the injured were taken to Epe General Hospital.

A private crane was brought in to lift the overturned truck and container so the bodies could be removed safely. Traffic measures were put in place while the recovery continued.

Sources differ on the injury toll

The outlets do not agree on how many people were hurt. Vanguard and PM News, quoting the same LASEMA statement, reported seven injured across three accidents on Wednesday. Channels TV and Daily Post reported 16 injured in the bridge crash alone.

Independent gave a different account, saying the crash happened on Tuesday on Alaro City Bridge, inward T-Junction, Epe, and that 13 passengers were injured. It quoted the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and said the bus driver was among the dead and the truck driver lost both legs. LASEMA's account did not mention the bus driver or the truck driver's condition.

LASEMA also reported two other truck incidents that morning. Near Vetland School, inward Agege Pen Cinema on Old Abeokuta Road, a truck with registration KTU-940XT hit a solar-powered streetlight pole and mounted the median at about 4:09 a.m. No one was hurt. The truck was later taken to Abattoir Police Station.

At Lanre Bus Stop, inward Igando on the LASU-Igando Road, a DAF truck (SMK 795 XY) said to be driving against traffic hit a Toyota Corolla (AKD 169 EA). The car's driver had a minor head injury and was taken to Igando General Hospital. The car was towed to Igando Police Station.

What happens next

LASEMA said recovery work was still going on at the bridge and Igando scenes. The agency urged drivers to keep to speed limits, avoid driving against traffic and check their vehicles before travelling. Residents can report emergencies on the state's toll-free lines, 767 and 112.

Oke-Osanyintolu commiserated with the families of the dead and wished the injured a quick recovery.