•One of the affected vehicles
An elderly woman was killed over the weekend after being hit by a white Pathfinder Jeep with registration number JJJ 118 HX along Almaroof, inward Pleasure, Oke-Odo, Lagos.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the driver, suspected to be heavily intoxicated, was driving at high speed when he lost control of the vehicle following a brake failure, reports The Guardian.
The Jeep veered off the road and struck the woman, who was walking by the roadside. She died on the spot from the impact.
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) arrived at the scene promptly and arrested the fleeing driver before he could escape. The officers secured the area to prevent further accidents and ease traffic flow.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA officials contacted officers from the Ile-Epo Police Division, who provided reinforcement and took over the investigation. The damaged vehicle was towed from the scene and handed over to the police for a detailed examination.
Using the deceased’s mobile phone, LASTMA officials were able to contact her family and inform them of the tragedy. Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki condemned the rising number of fatal accidents caused by drunk driving and unroadworthy vehicles in the state.
He said such recklessness would no longer be tolerated in Lagos, warning that offenders would face the full weight of the law. “The sanctity of human life is inviolable. The continued loss of innocent lives due to recklessness and moral irresponsibility is unacceptable. Every motorist must embrace discipline, sobriety, and respect for human life while using our roads,” he stated.
Bakare-Oki urged law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure the suspect is prosecuted according to the state’s traffic and criminal laws.
LASTMA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting road users through continuous enforcement, public enlightenment, and collaboration with other security agencies.
In another incident, a serious crash occurred along Kudirat Abiola Way, near Clay Bus Stop, inward Radio Junction on Awolowo Way, Ikeja, when a Toyota Highlander Jeep, driving against traffic, collided head-on with a commercial mini-bus (Korope) with registration number MUS 662 YG.
Preliminary findings showed that the Highlander, moving at excessive speed on a one-way route, rammed into the oncoming mini-bus, leaving the driver unconscious and both vehicles badly damaged.
LASTMA operatives arrived swiftly, rescued the injured driver, administered first aid, and took him to the hospital for further treatment.
Police officers from the Alausa Division were later called to take over the investigation of the case. The Highlander Jeep was towed to the LASTMA yard in Alausa, while the mini-bus was handed over to the police for further action.
