Tragedy struck along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday evening as two women lost their lives after being knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while attempting to cross the busy highway.
The fatal accident occurred at the Car Park C section of the expressway, outbound from Lagos, according to the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency.
Confirming the incident, the agency’s spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the crash happened at about 6:31 pm when the victims, whose identities had yet to be established, attempted to cross the road.
He explained that the vehicle responsible for the accident fled the scene immediately after hitting the women, leaving emergency responders to attend to the victims.
Akinbiyi disclosed that one of the women died instantly, while the second victim succumbed to her injuries while being transported to a medical facility.
He added that emergency personnel from the Ogun State Emergency Medical Services Ambulance Service responded promptly and evacuated the victims to Redeemed Hospital.
According to him, medical officials at the hospital later confirmed both women dead and deposited their remains in the morgue.
The TRACE spokesman further revealed that a white Mini Howo truck bearing registration number AKR 201 XD was recovered at the scene and subsequently towed by officers attached to the Redeemed Police Motor Traffic Division as part of ongoing investigations.
Officials of TRACE, OGSEMSAS, the Amotekun Corps and the police were said to have coordinated traffic management and secured the area to prevent further incidents.
The crash caused temporary disruption to vehicular movement along the corridor before normal traffic flow was restored following the evacuation of the victims and clearance of the accident scene.
Akinbiyi said the matter had been transferred to the police for further investigation aimed at identifying the vehicle involved and apprehending the driver.
The latest incident adds to the growing number of pedestrian fatalities recorded on major highways across Ogun State, particularly along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where traffic authorities have repeatedly urged road users to utilise designated crossing points and exercise caution while navigating the roadway.