A sand-laden truck reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into several vehicles, killing three students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and injuring seven others in a horrific crash at Powerline Junction, inward Ikorodu Roundabout, on Saturday morning.
According to eyewitnesses, the tipper, which was said to be speeding, suddenly lost control before careening into multiple vehicles and tricycles along the busy corridor. The impact was described as “devastating,” leaving mangled vehicles, injured passengers, and widespread panic.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the tragic incident in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq.
‘A Profound Tragedy’ — LASTMA Confirms Casualties
Taofiq described the crash as one of the most harrowing in recent times within the Ikorodu metropolis.
“In an incident of profound tragedy that cast a pall of grief over the Ikorodu metropolis, three promising students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu — two males and one female — lost their lives instantaneously in a fatal multiple-vehicle collision that occurred earlier today at Powerline Junction, before Aleje, inward Ikorodu Roundabout,” he said.
He added that “Seven others, including tricycle operators, sustained grievous injuries in the horrifying crash. The catastrophic accident involved a tipper truck heavily laden with sand (unregistered), a Toyota Corolla (SMK 42 AJ), an MPV bus, and four tricycles.”
Preliminary investigations, according to LASTMA, showed that the tipper’s mechanical brake failure caused the driver to lose control while travelling at high speed, resulting in a chain collision that claimed multiple lives.
Rescue Efforts and Traffic Recovery
Taofiq noted that officials of LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Police swiftly responded to the scene.
“Together, they swiftly conveyed seven critically injured victims to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while the three deceased casualties were evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary.
Following the evacuation, all wrecked vehicles were cleared from the accident scene by LASTMA personnel to restore order and ensure free traffic flow along the corridor.”
The intervention helped to ease the heavy gridlock that built up across the Ikorodu axis following the crash.
‘Avoidable and Heartbreaking’ — LASTMA GM Laments
Reacting to the tragedy, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commiserated with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Bakare-Oki, through the agency’s statement, described the incident as “avoidable,” blaming recurring recklessness, overspeeding, and poor vehicle maintenance—especially defective brake systems—as persistent causes of fatal road crashes across Lagos.
He urged truck operators and commercial drivers to embrace stricter safety checks and maintenance routines to prevent such avoidable loss of lives.
Recurring Safety Concerns
The fatal crash came barely 24 hours after a similar incident on the Otedola Bridge section of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, where another truck lost control and injured eight people.
Road safety advocates have again called on authorities to enforce regular mechanical inspections for heavy-duty vehicles and ensure that unregistered or poorly maintained trucks are barred from major highways.
The latest tragedy has thrown the LASUSTECH community and the Ikorodu metropolis into mourning, reigniting calls for stronger road safety enforcement and accountability in Lagos State.