BLACK TUESDAY IN LAGOS AS MANY DIE IN TRUCK ACCIDENT

Tragedy struck in the Oshodi area of Lagos State on Tuesday after a truck belonging to the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Church lost control, killing and injuring many people.

Many eyewitnesses at the scene gave conflicting reports of the number of people killed and wounded in the accident. The number of the dead ranged between 12 and 20. But police authority confirmed that only six people died, while five people were wounded.

However, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Oshodi Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Samuel Ogundayo, said 19 people were involved in the accident, adding that eight of them died.

It was learnt that among the dead was an unidentified pregnant woman, whose foetus was also crushed in the accident. Reports shows that the truck, which was laden with sand, was heading towards Mile 2 area when it experienced a brake failure.A newspaper vendor on the Oshodi Oke Bridge, Michael Okafor, told our correspondent that the truck ran into bystanders at the Oshodi Motor Park.

Okafor said, “Around 11.30am, many people were standing at the part of the motor park, where Mile 2 buses park when the truck just ran into them. The truck also ran into some of the vehicles there. So many people were crushed and blood was all over the place.

“The driver immediately ran away, but he was later arrested by policemen from Makinde Police Station.” The incident was said to have caused traffic congestion on the Mile 2 bound lane as bystanders and motorists rushed to the scene to assist the victims.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the driver, Lawrence Nwaodu, had been arrested and the vehicle had been impounded. Braide said the victims had been rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where they were responding to treatment.

Braide warned motorists, especially truck drivers, to always check their vehicles before driving on the expressway as cases of truck accidents had risen in recent times. She said, “At exactly 12pm, a fatal motor accident occurred at Oshodi, Motor Park. When police officers from Makinde Division led by the Divisional Police Officer arrived at the scene, they discovered that it was caused by a tipper, which was carrying sand, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, inward Mile 2 service lane.

“The tipper, with number plate, JJJ824XD, owned by the Lords chosen Church, lost control due to a brake failure and ran into three stationary vehicles in the park. In the process, all the vehicles got damaged while five yet-to-be identified female pedestrians lost their lives.

“One of the deceased was a pregnant woman, whose foetus also gushed out, bringing the casualty figure to six in number. About five people were also injured and they are currently receiving treatment at LASUTH.

“We have apprehended the driver of the truck, whose name is Lawrence Nwaodu, 45 years. The four vehicles involved have been taken to LASTMA office, while calm has also returned in the area.”