The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has blasted the reckless driving behaviours of some truck operators on the Sango-Ota corridor in the aftermath of a catastrophic accident at the Ota Toll Gate area that lost seven lives.
Six men and one lady were killed in the crash, which involved a trailer tanker that had purportedly failed to halt.
Two more victims, a male and a female, were critically injured and are still getting medical care.The incident affected a total of nine people.
The governor described the development as heartbreaking and intolerable in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, saying "the loss of innocent lives due to preventable negligence is one too many."
He sent his condolences to the departed families and prayed for their strength and comfort at this terrible time.
Abiodun stated, "In light of this needless and painful accident, I have ordered a swift investigation into the circumstances surrounding it, and anyone found accountable will face the full weight of the law.
"To avoid a repetition in this busy corridor, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps must also increase their vigilance and police traffic laws more strictly.
In a related development, Lawal Adewale Wasiu, Executive Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, visited the location shortly after the tragedy with top local government officials, where he was briefed by security personnel coordinating rescue and control efforts.
The chairman expressed his grief at the loss and emphasised the need of strictly adhering to traffic restrictions. He also warned against roadside trade and other unsafe activities that expose residents and commuters to needless harm, stating that the council would work with relevant agencies to improve safety compliance along the axis.
The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing road safety enforcement and protecting lives and property throughout the state.
The multiple crash, which occurred about 8 a.m. on Tuesday at the Old Toll Gate in Ota on the Lagos-Abeokuta Motorway, reportedly killed six people and injured two more. The accident involved an articulated vehicle with the registration number EKY 913 YH and two other vehicles.
The articulated vehicle, a tanker carrying vegetable oil, apparently failed to brake, causing the driver to lose control and slam into bystanders, killing six and injuring two.
Afolabi Odunsi-Oyewole, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps' Ogun State Sector Command, announced this in a statement to press on Tuesday. Odunsi-Oyewole stated, "A sad road traffic crash occurred today at approximately 08:00hrs at the Old Toll Gate in Ota. Six people died in the tragedy, while two more were injured.
"The crash involved an articulated vehicle (vegetable oil tanker) with the registration number EKY 913 YH and two other vehicles. "Preliminary examinations show that the articulated vehicle had mechanical brake failure while navigating the congested toll gate area. "The driver eventually lost control and collided with the other vehicles and onlookers. Six individuals were reported dead (five men and one woman). Two more people suffered varied degrees of injuries.
"FRSC rescue teams quickly evacuated all victims to Ota General Hospital." The injured survivors are currently being treated, and the deceased's remains have been deposited in the Ifo General Hospital mortuary.
The Sector Commander, Corps Commander Akinwunmi Fasakin, asked motorists, particularly articulated vehicle drivers, to do complete mechanical checks on their vehicles before embarking on any journey, emphasising the corps' commitment to protecting lives and property.
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