By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Lagos
LAGOS: A tragic scene unfolded along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway on Saturday after a container-laden truck lost control and crashed into seven vehicles, killing a pedestrian and leaving two others with serious injuries.
The incident, which occurred at the busy Cele Bus Stop, inward Oshodi, involved a 40-foot articulated truck transporting two containers, five commercial buses, and two private vehicles. According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the truck suffered brake failure, leading to the fatal crash.
General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed the incident in a statement and described it as a regrettable consequence of mechanical failure combined with speeding.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the truck driver lost control while on high speed after the brakes failed,” Bakare-Oki said. “The containers became dislodged and landed on the vehicles, causing significant damage and human casualties.”
The deceased, a yet-to-be-identified pedestrian, was reportedly crushed while attempting to cross the road at the time of the accident. Among the injured was a commercial bus driver who sustained multiple fractures to his arms and legs. All injured victims were promptly taken to the General Hospital in Isolo by the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).
Emergency responders from LASTMA, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and officers from the Ijesha-Tedo Police Division coordinated rescue efforts, ensuring the quick evacuation of victims and the removal of wreckage to restore traffic flow.
“The swift collaboration between our agencies and members of the public helped to minimize further casualties and secure the accident scene,” Bakare-Oki noted, adding that enforcement teams have intensified efforts to curb the menace of unsafe haulage operations across the state.
He extended condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to journalists blamed poor maintenance of heavy-duty trucks and weak regulatory enforcement as recurring causes of such accidents in Lagos. One trader near the scene, Mrs. Folashade Bamidele, said: “We are tired of these container accidents. Every few months, we hear of lives lost. Something has to change.”
Saturday’s tragedy has once again drawn attention to the safety risks posed by articulated trucks on Lagos roads, especially in densely populated areas like Oshodi and its environs.