Expatriate, others injured in Lagos accident

No fewer than four people were seriously injured on Tuesday in an accident involving two vehicles on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos State.

An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told PUNCH Metrothat among the injured was an expatriate, who “broke his spinal cord and a pedestrian, who was drenched in blood”.

It was learnt that one of the vehicles, a Pathfinder, had a brake failure and rammed into a pole, snapping it into two in the process.

The second vehicle, a Honda, reportedly somersaulted several times before crashing into the Pathfinder.

The LASTMA official said, “The accident happened around 12 noon at Y junction. It involved two vehicles ─ a Pathfinder and a Honda.

“One of the vehicles lost its brake and crashed into a pole. The concrete pole broke into pieces. Then the second vehicle, while trying to manoeuvre, tumbled and somersaulted several times.

“Four people were seriously injured. A man passing by was hit and was soaked in blood, while an expatriate, who was in one of the jeeps, broke his spinal cord. He had to be supported into another vehicle.”

Our correspondent gathered that a crowd of sympathisers almost beat up LASTMA officials and other emergency workers, who were at the scene, for the unavailability of the Lagos State Ambulance Service to take the victims to a hospital.

A Good Samaritan was said to have stopped his commercial bus and asked his passengers to alight, so that he could convey the victims to a nearby hospital.

Our correspondent also learnt that one of the relatives of the victims, a military officer, brought his vehicle to assist in the rescue.

Policemen from the Makinde division were said to have arrived at the scene to assist in controlling the crowd around the scene.

The spokesperson for LASTMA, Mrs. Bola Ajao, confirmed the incident.

She warned that motorists should reduce their speed to avoid a recurrence of the incident.

“The crash was avoidable. Lagosians need to learn patience.

“We don’t know the fate of those rushed to the hospital because they were seriously injured,” she said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said he would call back, but had yet to do so as of press time.