A tanker driver has fled the scene after a fatal collision with a dispatch rider on the Apapa–Oshodi Expressway in Lagos, leaving the rider dead.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the incident occurred near the Cele Bridge corridor along the busy expressway.
The statement added that the fully loaded HOWO tanker, carrying diesel, rammed into the dispatch rider, crushing him beneath the vehicle and killing him instantly on impact.
“Security reports revealed that the tanker, while in motion, violently rammed into the dispatch motorcycle, causing the rider to become trapped underneath the tanker and die instantly,” LASTMA spokesperson Taofiq said.
He further stated that LASTMA operatives deployed to the area promptly secured the scene using cones and caution tape to avert secondary accidents and safeguard other road users.
“This swift intervention was undertaken to forestall further collisions and to safeguard commuters navigating the busy expressway,” he noted.
The agency said the tanker driver fled the scene after the crash, while the vehicle has been transferred to the police for further investigation.
The victim’s body was reportedly retrieved from beneath the tanker and evacuated to a morgue in Yaba by police officers.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended his condolences to the bereaved family, describing the accident as both tragic and preventable.
He further urged the police to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash and ensure the fleeing driver is apprehended and prosecuted.
