By Our Reporter
A dispatch rider has been killed in a tragic road accident involving a fully loaded diesel tanker along the busy Apapa–Oshodi Expressway in Lagos, with the driver of the truck fleeing the scene immediately after the incident.
The fatal crash occurred under the Cele Bridge corridor, prompting a swift response from operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), who secured the area to prevent further casualties.
The Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, made this known in a statement, copy of which was made available to newsmen, saying that the tanker, identified with registration number RBC 38 XF, rammed into the motorcycle while in motion, trapping the rider beneath it.
"Preliminary reports indicate that the fully loaded HOWO diesel tanker violently rammed into the dispatch motorcycle, leaving the rider trapped underneath the vehicle.
"Sadly, the victim died instantly due to the impact of the collision," he said.
Adebayo explained that LASTMA personnel stationed in the area acted promptly to manage the situation and avert additional accidents on the ever-busy highway.
"Our officers responded with prompt precision by immediately cordoning off the crash scene using cones and cautionary tape to forestall secondary collisions and ensure the safety of other road users," he said.
Speaking further, LASTMA spokesperson disclosed that the tanker involved in the crash was impounded, although its driver fled upon realising the severity of the incident.
"The offending tanker has since been impounded by LASTMA, while the driver absconded from the scene in an apparent attempt to evade responsibility,” he added.
He noted that operatives of the Ijesha Police Division arrived shortly after to take over the scene and commence investigation in line with due process.
"The police promptly took over the scene, with the deceased, the impounded tanker, and the damaged motorcycle handed over for thorough investigation and necessary legal action," he said.
According to him, the remains of the deceased were carefully recovered and evacuated by the police to a morgue in Yaba, adding: "The body of the deceased was professionally extricated from beneath the tanker and conveyed to a morgue by the police."
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and extended condolences to the victim’s family, describing the incident as deeply distressing.
"This is a deeply distressing incident, and we sympathise with the family of the deceased during this difficult time," Bakare-Oki said
The LASTMA boss further called for a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash and ensure accountability.
"We urge the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash and ensure that justice is served," he said.
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