2 die, many injured in Lagos auto crashes

LAGOS—NO fewer than two persons died and
several others injured, yesterday, in separate auto
accidents on on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway,
involving Lagos State Traffic Management
Authority, LASTMA, towing truck, three container-
laden articulated vehicles and a Danfo bus.
Involved at one accident spot, on Apapa-Oshodi
Expressway, at Mile 2 Area, opposite Fatgbems
Filling Station, were a LASTMA towing truck and
two container vehicles.
At press time, the maimed and lifeless body of the
victim was still on the expressway with one of his
legs few metres away from the half cut body.
The victim was said to be a pedestrian trying to
cross the expressway when the container vehicle
crushed him to death.
The accident, which was said to have happened
about 12.35 p.m, occurred due to over-speeding by
the container driver while escaping from street
urchins, "Area boys" who were allegedly trying to
extort money from him.
In the process, he was said to have rammed into
the LASTMA towing vehicle and the container
vehicle with number-plate Lagos XD 207 LND.
An unidentified LASTMA official, who sustained
serious injury was rushed to a nearby hospital for
treatment. As at 1 pm, no rescue team was on
hand to help out with the clearing of the vehicles
involved in the accident.
LASTMA official were said to have stayed back
because of fear of attack by "Area boys" who
besieged the scene. The development led to
gridlock, stretching for over two kilometres along
the expressway. It was learnt that men of the
Federal Road Safety Corps took the victims to the
hospital.
Relatedly, at Iyana-Isolo under Bridge, the lifeless
body of a man was retrieved from beneath a
container vehicle, while other victims of the
accident, who sustained injuries were taken to a
nearby hospital for treatment.
An eyewitness narrated that the Apapa-bound
container vehicle, apparently, in an attempt to
avoid a pot hole, rammed into the stationary bus
with passengers on board.