Three commuters lost their lives on Wednesday night after a truck reportedly suffered brake failure and ploughed into a bus stop at the Sango-Ota tollgate area of the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred when a Scania truck conveying planks of wood was descending the Dalemo slope from Sango towards Lagos.
The vehicle, bearing registration number GGE 681 XD, was said to have lost control while approaching the tollgate, before ramming into commuters waiting to board a bus.
The out-of-control truck later collided with another truck, which was empty, with registration number SMK 795 YF.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the accident happened around 9:05 pm.
He explained that emergency responders from TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police were mobilised to the scene for rescue and traffic control.
Quoting an eyewitness account, Akinbiyi said the truck suffered brake failure while in motion and crashed into a vehicle ahead of it, leading to the deaths of the commuters at the tollgate bus stop.
He added that the victims comprised two men and a woman, whose bodies were taken to the General Hospital morgue in Ifo.
Akinbiyi noted that the accident initially disrupted traffic flow in the area, but normal movement was restored after the evacuation of the wreckage.
The TRACE spokesperson expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and urged owners and drivers of articulated vehicles to ensure proper maintenance and roadworthiness before embarking on any journey.