Tragedy in Lagos as Truck Crash Claims Lives of Three LASUSTECH Students

A devastating multi-vehicle collision in Lagos State has resulted in the deaths of three students from the Lagos State University of Science and Technology. The incident, which occurred near the Powerline Junction on the approach to Ikorodu Roundabout, also left seven other individuals with injuries of varying severity.

Adebayo Taofiq, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), confirmed the details in a statement on Saturday. He explained that the accident was triggered when the driver of a sand-laden truck lost control of the vehicle due to brake failure, subsequently crashing into several other vehicles.

The impact of the collision was catastrophic, leading to immediate fatalities and critical injuries among those involved.

“In an incident of profound tragedy that cast a pall of grief over the Ikorodu metropolis, three promising students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, two males and one female, lost their lives instantaneously,” Taofiq stated. He added that seven others, including tricycle operators, sustained serious injuries.

The crash involved the unregistered tipper truck, a Toyota Corolla, an MPV bus, and four commercial tricycles.

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“Preliminary investigations by traffic operatives revealed that the tipper, which was travelling at an excessive speed, suffered mechanical brake failure, causing the driver to lose control,” Taofiq elaborated. “The runaway vehicle careened into other road users, colliding forcefully with multiple vehicles and tricycles in its path, leading to devastating wreckage and loss of lives.”

Emergency response teams from LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Police were quickly on the scene. They worked to rescue the injured and transport them to a nearby hospital for immediate medical attention.

“Together, they swiftly conveyed seven critically injured victims to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while the three deceased casualties were evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary,” Taofiq confirmed. He noted that LASTMA personnel cleared the wreckage to restore traffic flow in the area.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased students and wished the injured a swift recovery. He described the incident as an “avoidable” tragedy, highlighting the persistent dangers of reckless driving, excessive speed, and poor vehicle maintenance, particularly faulty brakes, as major contributors to fatal accidents in the state.

Attempts to reach Lanre Kuye, the spokesperson for the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report.