Two persons, a driver and a female passenger, were killed in a horrific diesel tanker explosion on Lagos-Badagry Expressway on Christmas Day, leaving families shattered during the festive period.
The Mack Truck, loaded with diesel, exploded at Oto-Ijanikin near Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), heading towards Agbara.
Preliminary findings from security investigations indicated that the incident was precipitated by excessive speed, as the tanker driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another road user.
The vehicle subsequently crashed and erupted into a raging inferno, tragically trapping and claiming the lives of the driver and an adult female passenger.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officers secured and cordoned off the affected stretch of the expressway to forestall secondary incidents, while immediately notifying the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (Ojo Unit), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ijanikin Police Division for urgent emergency response and security reinforcement.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased, particularly poignant during this festive season.
He described the incident as deeply painful and entirely avoidable, reaffirming the Authority’s steadfast commitment to road safety and the sanctity of human life.
Bakare-Oki further underscored the urgent necessity for tanker and articulated vehicle drivers to exercise heightened caution, observe prescribed speed limits and comply strictly with all traffic regulations, noting that reckless driving and over speeding remain dominant factors in fatal road traffic crashes across the metropolis.
He also seized the opportunity to caution members of the public against the dangerous and irresponsible practice of scooping petroleum or diesel products from tanker accident scenes, emphasising that such conduct poses grave and far-reaching risks to both individuals and the general public.
