By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has on Wednesday, expeditiously responded to a tragic road traffic crash in which a dispatch rider lost his life after being struck by a fully loaded HOWO diesel tanker (RBC 38 XF) under the Cele Bridge corridor of the Apapa–Oshodi Expressway.
According to a statement issued by Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA said, “Security reports revealed that the tanker, while in motion, violently rammed into the dispatch motorcycle, causing the rider trapped underneath the tanker, and the rider died instantly.
“LASTMA personnel stationed along the axis acted with prompt precision, instantly cordoning off and securing the crash site with cones and cautionary red tape. This swift intervention was undertaken to forestall secondary collisions and to safeguard other commuters navigating the busy expressway.
“The offending tanker was subsequently impounded by LASTMA officials, although the driver absconded upon perceiving the gravity of the incident.
“Operatives of the Ijesha Police Division arrived to reinforce security and assume investigative responsibility in line with established protocols, as the deceased rider, impounded tanker, and the damaged motorcycle were handed over to the Police by LASTMA for thorough investigation and diligent prosecution.
The remains of the deceased, after being professionally secured from underneath the tanker, were thereafter conveyed by the Police to a morgue in Yaba.
“The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, describing the incident as deeply distressing.
He urged the Police to pursue a comprehensive inquiry into the root cause of the crash and ensure that justice is served in accordance with the law.”
