A tragic accident on Monday evening has left two people dead and nine others injured along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, throwing families into mourning and once again highlighting the dangers on Nigeria’s busy roads.

The crash happened around 7:40 p.m. near Tipper Garage in Ogun State. According to Mr. Adekunle Ajibade, the South-West Area Commander of the Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), the accident involved three vehicles: a DAF truck (JJJ 144 XD), a Mazda bus (EPE 394 XP), and a tricycle (DGB 599 VC). In total, 14 people were involved, with three escaping unhurt.

Ajibade explained that the accident was caused by a tragic oversight. The driver of the truck had parked on a slope at the entrance of a warehouse opposite Tipper Garage, leaving the engine running and applying the handbrake. However, after stepping out to deliver a waybill to security guards, the truck’s handbrake reportedly failed. The unmanned vehicle rolled backward onto the expressway, crashing into the Mazda bus and the tricycle.

By the time the chaos settled, two people had lost their lives, while nine others sustained various degrees of injuries. The corpses were taken to Ifo General Hospital, where the injured victims are also receiving treatment.

Ajibade noted that TRACE personnel, alongside officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), quickly carried out a rescue operation and cleared the wrecked vehicles to restore the flow of traffic.

He used the occasion to caution all motorists, especially commercial drivers and truck operators, to always double-check their vehicles’ parking brakes and avoid risky practices. He also urged road users to maintain safe speeds and strictly obey traffic regulations to help prevent more heart-wrenching incidents like this.

For many commuters and residents along the Lagos-Abeokuta corridor, the accident serves as a somber reminder that every trip on Nigeria’s roads demands extra caution and vigilance.