Young Woman Dies After Car Plunges Into Lagos Lagoon from Third Mainland Bridge

Aisha Maikudi Ibrahim, a 27-year-old entrepreneur residing in Gbagada, tragically lost her life on Saturday when her vehicle reportedly somersaulted off the Third Mainland Bridge and fell into Lagos Lagoon. Ms. Ibrahim was returning from an event in Ikoyi where she worked as a vendor when the accident occurred.

According to family sources, she called her mother around 1 a.m. to say she would be home within 20 minutes. However, by early morning, her phone was unreachable, prompting a search by her family. They discovered the scene of the accident at the bridge, identifying her vehicle by the discernible bumper and plate number.

Heartbreakingly, despite the presence of emergency response teams from LASTMA and the marine police, no immediate rescue was conducted. It was only after Ms. Ibrahim’s father negotiated with local divers—who demanded N400,000—that the divers retrieved her body from the lagoon between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., nearly 12 hours after the crash.

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Ms. Ibrahim was buried that same day according to Islamic rites. Her family expressed profound sorrow not just over the loss but also over the “commercialization of human lives” that marked the rescue efforts. They called on Lagos State authorities to equip and train emergency responders adequately and ensure that professional divers are incorporated into rescue operations to prevent such tragic delays in the future.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said it was unaware of the incident but promised to investigate. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the recovery of Ms. Ibrahim’s body and its handover to police and family members.

This incident is a reminder of previous accidents on the Third Mainland Bridge, such as in April 2024, when two passengers fell into the lagoon following a bus crash, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety measures on one of Lagos’s most vital access routes.