Three individuals reportedly lost their lives in an accident involving a Dangote truck, identified by the number DCG-TM-028, along with several other vehicles.
In a statement released on Monday, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the Dangote truck suffered a brake failure while descending from Ita-Opo in Epe, which resulted in this tragic event.
Remarking on the incident via the communique released by Taofiq Adebayo, the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager of LASTMA, indicated that the out-of-control truck collided with a tricycle (AGL 442 QC) and a parked Toyota Camry at the Ayetoro traffic light before crashing into the Ayetoro Market Complex in Epe.
The statement said: “First responders from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), with the assistance of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), swiftly arrived on the scene to secure the area.
“The unfortunate collision resulted in the fatalities of the tricycle driver and two students from Manpower Technical School. The deceased were respectfully transported to the Epe General Hospital mortuary.
“Prompt efforts were made to clear the wreckage, including the Dangote truck, to alleviate traffic congestion and safeguard other road users.”
A spokesperson for LASTMA reported that three individuals sustained injuries in a separate road incident in the Ijaye area of Abule-Egba, Lagos.
The collision involved an LT bus (FKJ 762 AD) and a Toyota Hiace bus (MUS 154 YE).
Taofiq noted that the injured parties, which included a driver and two passengers, were promptly rescued and transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
Additionally, he mentioned that three individuals—two females and one male—were rescued from a multi-vehicle accident at Tsunami Bridge, heading towards the Ketu area of Lagos.
The spokesperson indicated that this incident involved two Volkswagen commercial buses and a 10-tyre DAF truck.
The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care, while officers from the Alapere police station provided crucial security assistance during the rescue efforts.
Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the general manager of LASTMA, urged drivers to ensure that their vehicles, especially the braking systems, are in optimal condition prior to embarking on any journey.
In other news, despite the petrol price hike in Nigeria, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical is poised to commence fuel exports to South Africa, Angola, and Namibia.
According to a source who spoke with The PUNCH on Friday, the management of the 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity refinery is in advanced discussions with these nations regarding fuel supply agreements.
Reports indicate that four additional African countries – Niger Republic, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic – have also begun negotiations with the refinery.
Saturday PUNCH was informed that more countries are expected to express interest in securing fuel supplies from the $20 billion Lekki-based refinery in the coming months.
Ghana has already signalled interest in purchasing petrol, with Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chairman of Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority, noting that the deal with Dangote would put an end to the country’s monthly $400 million fuel imports from Europe.
