A cyclist has been killed in a road accident involving a heavy-duty truck beneath the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital bridge along the Airport Road in Ikeja, Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the accident occurred on Monday at the traffic light point under the bridge as the cyclist and a DAF articulated truck approached the roundabout from the Maryland axis.
Eyewitnesses said the cyclist allegedly rode too close to the moving truck while attempting to negotiate the bend, lost his balance and was run over by the vehicle, resulting in his instant death.
Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who were on duty in the area, were said to have responded promptly to the incident.
The truck driver was apprehended after he reportedly attempted to flee the scene and was later handed over to operatives of the Ikeja Police Division for further investigation.
To avert a secondary crash and ease traffic congestion, officials of the state’s environmental health unit evacuated the corpse from the road.
Reacting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, described the incident as painful and avoidable, while commiserating with the family of the deceased.
“This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time,” Giwa said, warning cyclists and other vulnerable road users against plying major highways and high-speed corridors.
He noted that expressways and major arterial roads were designed for fast-moving vehicles, adding that the use of such routes by cyclists exposed them to serious danger.
Giwa added that the state government had continued to invest in public enlightenment campaigns aimed at reducing road crashes involving vulnerable road users.
He urged all road users to obey traffic regulations and remain vigilant at all times, stressing that collective responsibility was key to preventing avoidable tragedies on Lagos roads.
The Lagos State Government, through LASTMA, reiterated its commitment to strict traffic enforcement, sustained public education and the protection of lives across the state.