A male adult lost his life, and seven others sustained injuries in a vehicle accident on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway on Saturday.
The crash was attributed to a tyre blowout, which caused the vehicle to somersault, veer off the road, and overturn.
According to The PUNCH, the Commandant General of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Seni Ogunyemi, provided details of the incident in a statement on Sunday.
He said the accident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. near Adedero village, close to PMB Estate in the Kobape-Siun axis, inbound Abeokuta. The vehicle involved, an OPEL Sakura with registration number ABJ 486, was carrying eight occupants — five women and three men.
“One male adult tragically lost his life, while seven others, including five women and two men, sustained injuries,” Ogunyemi explained. “The accident was caused by a burst tyre, which led the vehicle to somersault and swerve off the expressway.”
The injured passengers were promptly transported to a nearby hospital with assistance from the First Lady of Ogun State, who happened to be in the vicinity at the time. TRACE operatives were deployed to manage traffic at the scene.
“Her Excellency, the First Lady, played a crucial role in ensuring the victims received immediate medical attention, while our team worked to prevent further traffic disruptions,” Ogunyemi added.
In a related development, four people lost their lives, and 16 others narrowly escaped death in two separate accidents along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Boxing Day.
The first incident occurred around 5 p.m. at Kara Bus Stop, Isheri Olofin, involving a hit-and-run driver and two pedestrians attempting to cross the expressway without adequate caution. Both pedestrians died at the scene.
In the second incident, which took place at about 4:14 p.m. near the Saapade Overhead Bridge, a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number LAGOS LSR 585 YH suffered a tyre burst.
The bus, carrying 18 passengers, overturned after the driver lost control while en route to Ibadan. Two passengers were killed, and 16 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“These accidents highlight the need for caution on our roads,” Ogunyemi said, urging drivers to maintain their vehicles properly and adhere to traffic regulations. “We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
