13 injured as bus overturns, crashes into barrier on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Thirteen people sustained injuries on Friday after a Mazda bus lost control, overturned, and crashed into a concrete barrier on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

The accident occurred at about 12:30 pm along the Lagos-bound section of the expressway in Remo North Local Government Area.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Akinbiyi Babatunde, confirmed the incident in an accident report released on Friday.

The crash had earlier attracted public attention after Nollywood actor Kunle Afod expressed concern over the response of emergency agencies, calling on the Ogun State Government, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and other emergency responders to assist the victims.

However, the TRACE report, made available to our correspondent, stated that rescue teams from the agency, popularly known as Papa Oscar, alongside FRSC personnel, arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

According to the report, the accident involved a Mazda bus with registration number AKD 52 XY, which was carrying 18 passengers. The rescue team reportedly arrived at the scene at 12:48 pm.

It explained that the vehicle suffered a tyre burst while in motion, causing the driver to lose control. The bus subsequently overturned before crashing into a concrete barrier.

The report quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the tyre burst was responsible for the driver losing control of the vehicle.

It added that the concrete barrier prevented the bus from plunging into a deep ditch beside the expressway.

The agency identified the injured victims as two men, eight women and three children, confirming that no life was lost in the incident.

According to the report, all 13 victims were evacuated to three different medical facilities for treatment.

One of the victims was taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, while nine others were conveyed to Divine Hospital, Ogere. The remaining three were taken to Isara General Hospital.

TRACE further disclosed that a follow-up visit to Isara General Hospital later on Friday revealed that four of the injured victims had received treatment and were discharged at their request.

The damaged bus was subsequently evacuated to the agency’s Papa Oscar holding facility pending investigation.

The report also noted that the rescue operation did not obstruct vehicular movement on the expressway, adding that the coordinated intervention of TRACE, FRSC and other emergency personnel helped restore normal traffic flow.