Lekki–Epe expressway crash leaves four passengers dead and four injured after truck rams into commercial minibus, Lagos traffic officials say

Four passengers have died and four others sustained serious injuries in a Lekki–Epe Expressway crash involving an articulated truck and a commercial minibus along the busy corridor in Lagos State.

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The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the agency, the accident occurred over the weekend opposite Beechwood, Shapati, inward Ajah, along the Lekki–Epe Expressway.

The fatal collision involved a HOWO truck with registration number KNN 313 YL and a fully loaded Suzuki commercial minibus popularly known as a “Korope”.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the driver of the articulated truck lost control of the vehicle while in motion, veered across the carriageway and rammed into the oncoming minibus conveying passengers.

“The catastrophic impact of the collision resulted in the immediate death of four male passengers, while four other occupants, comprising two males and two females, sustained severe fracture injuries after becoming trapped within the mangled wreckage of the commercial vehicle,” the statement said.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority mobilised to the scene and, with support from other emergency responders and passers-by, carried out a swift rescue operation to extricate the trapped victims from the crushed vehicle.

The four injured passengers were taken to Hamon Royal Hospital for urgent medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated to the Shency Hospital morgue by a Federal Road Safety Corps ambulance.

Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Elemoro Police Division maintained order at the scene and provided security during the emergency response.

Authorities said the driver of the truck and his motor boy fled the scene shortly after the crash, while the police assured that a full investigation would be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims.

Bakare-Oki also prayed for the swift recovery of the injured passengers and commended the coordinated efforts of emergency responders whose timely intervention helped rescue those trapped in the wreckage.

The traffic chief urged motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and adopt responsible driving habits to prevent avoidable road accidents.

The latest tragedy comes amid concerns over rising road accidents in Nigeria.

According to Federal Road Safety Corps statistics for 2025, the total number of crashes nationwide rose by 9.2 per cent, from 9,570 cases recorded in 2024 to 10,446 in 2025.

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Serious crashes increased by 10.5 per cent, climbing from 6,131 incidents in 2024 to 6,772 in 2025, while minor crashes rose by 17.5 per cent from 907 to 1,066 within the same period.