Four die in early-morning Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crash

Four people lost their lives in a fatal collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway early Wednesday, authorities confirmed, in yet another reminder of the persistent dangers facing motorists on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.

The crash happened around 4 a.m. near Straight Gate School in Ipara Remo, Ogun State. A blue Mitsubishi Canter (registration FGE 753 XA) slammed into an ash-coloured HOWO truck (T-695 KT) while the Canter’s driver attempted to overtake at high speed. Eight people were involved: four adult men died at the scene, one adult man was injured, and three others escaped unhurt.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ogun State Sector Command said preliminary findings pointed to speed violation and wrongful overtaking as the primary causes. Fatigue on the part of the Mitsubishi driver was listed as a contributing factor. Chief Route Commander Afolabi Odunsi, the command’s spokesperson, stated that the FRSC rescue team received the alert at 4:33 a.m. and reached the scene six minutes later. The injured victim was taken to Victory Hospital in Ogere for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at FOS Mortuary in Ipara. The wrecked vehicles were handed over to the Police Motor Traffic Division, Isara, for further investigation.

Ogun State Sector Commander Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi urged drivers to resist the temptation to speed or attempt unsafe overtakes, particularly during early-morning journeys. He advised motorists to rest adequately before long trips and overtake only when conditions are safe and legal.

The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has seen a string of incidents in recent days. On Tuesday, a 40-foot container truck crash and related collisions around Kara Bridge triggered hours-long gridlock that trapped motorists for as long as 14 hours, compounding delays already caused by ongoing repair works on damaged expansion joints. Those earlier crashes resulted in injuries but, according to official accounts, no fatalities.

ADVERTISEMENT

The corridor remains a high-risk route where speeding, fatigue, mechanical failures and reckless overtaking continue to claim lives despite repeated safety campaigns by the FRSC and other agencies.

Authorities continue to appeal for greater caution as the busy highway links Lagos with much of the South-West and beyond.