Speeding Container Truck Mows Down LAWMA Worker in Lagos, Driver on the Run

A routine morning duty nearly turned fatal in Lagos on Friday after a speeding container-laden truck rammed into a Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) operative at Oja Junction, near Offin Canal, inward Eko Bridge, leaving him critically injured as the driver fled the scene.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the accident occurred in the early hours of the day when the articulated truck, reportedly travelling at excessive speed, suffered brake failure while descending the CMS Bridge.

In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA identified the injured worker as Mr. Baba Ibeji, who was carrying out official refuse evacuation duties when he was struck.

According to preliminary findings, the truck lost control due to mechanical failure and violently knocked down the LAWMA operative before crashing into a Toyota Camry with registration number FST 417 FS, compounding the scale of the accident.

The impact left Mr. Ibeji with severe injuries and the saloon car badly damaged, once again raising concerns over the dangers posed by reckless operation of heavy-duty vehicles on Lagos roads.

LASTMA officers were said to have responded swiftly, carrying out what the agency described as a daring rescue operation. The injured worker was extricated from beneath the wreckage, a move officials said prevented an immediate fatality.

Mr. Ibeji was first rushed to Fuja Hospital but was reportedly rejected due to the critical nature of his injuries. He was subsequently transferred to the General Hospital for urgent specialist care.

Adding to the outrage surrounding the incident, LASTMA disclosed that the truck driver absconded immediately after the crash. However, the truck’s assistant, popularly known as the motor boy, was apprehended and handed over to police officers from the Ebute-Ero Division for investigation.

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, condemned the driver’s actions and ordered a full investigation into the crash, with a view to prosecution under existing laws.

Giwa also commended LASTMA personnel and emergency responders for their prompt and professional intervention, noting that their actions averted a tragic loss of life. He expressed sympathy to the victim’s family and wished the injured LAWMA worker a speedy recovery.

The Lagos State Government reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on reckless driving, especially by operators of articulated vehicles, warning that offenders will be held fully accountable.

SOURCE : NaijaRush Assignment Desk