Eleven die in Lagos Ibadan Expressway accident

Eleven persons lost their lives to a multiple auto crash near Isara Bridge, Ogere, off the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Saturday night.

Seven other persons also sustained varying degrees of injuries in the inferno that resulted from the accident.

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun, Mr Ahmed Umar, confirmed the figures of the accident victims to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abeokuta.

Umar stated that the accident, which occurred at 10.35 p.m. involved two Mazda buses and a car and was caused by excessive speeding.

He added that the affected vehicles and the dead were burnt beyond identification and recognition.

Six of the seven injured persons were taken to a hospital at Ogere for treatment, while the seventh person was taken to Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan, also in Ogun for treatment.

Umaru said the injured are five male adults, one female adult and a male child.

“Motorists are advised to drive cautiously, obey traffic rules and regulations and also cooperate with traffic managers,’’ he admonished.

This is another in a series of Fatal accidents on the expressway which is reputed to be one of the busiest in Africa carrying hundred of thousands of Cars, Buses, Trucks and Other means of transportaion daily.

The road has als been under reconstruction and rehabilitation which has made it largely motorable in all respects making it easire for Drivers especially Commercial Vehicles to speed excessively on the newly relaid surface.

This excessive speeding has been contrary to reports responsible for most crashes on the highway.

According to the yearly report of the Federal Roda Safety Corps, overspeeding has beenresponsible for the vast majority of road crashes in the last few years putting somewhat of a lie to oft repeated assertions from observers and commentators about the deplorable nature of most Nigerian Roads.

While the accidents have increased somewhat, the rehabilitation and reconstructiopn of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is expected to be completed by the end of the year.