LASTMA arrests tanker driver for killing dispatch rider in Lagos

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has apprehended a tanker driver involved in a fatal collision with a commercial dispatch rider. The incident occurred on Kodesho Road, near Mrs Filling Station, in the Maryland-Ikeja area of Lagos.

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violently struck and fatally crushed the delivery rider, resulting in his instantaneous death.

According to a statement from LASTMA's Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, the fully laden tanker, registered as T-19089LA, "violently struck and fatally crushed the delivery rider, resulting in his instantaneous death." The driver reportedly attempted to flee the scene without providing assistance or reporting the incident to authorities.

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In a reprehensible attempt to evade justice, the tanker driver reportedly sped away from the accident scene without rendering assistance to the victim or notifying the relevant authorities.

LASTMA officers initiated an immediate pursuit upon receiving a distress alert, successfully intercepting the fleeing vehicle and apprehending the driver. The suspect and the tanker have been transferred to the State Traffic Department at Area ‘F’ Police Command, Ikeja, for a thorough investigation and subsequent prosecution. LASTMA officials also managed the accident scene, controlled traffic, and coordinated emergency responses during the recovery operation.

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both heartbreaking and avoidable.

Fellow dispatch riders present at the scene informed the deceased's family and offered their condolences. Reacting to the tragedy, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki described the crash as "both heartbreaking and avoidable." He reiterated the agency's commitment to road safety and urged operators of articulated vehicles and tankers to exercise extreme caution and adhere strictly to traffic regulations. Bakare-Oki warned that reckless driving and fleeing accident scenes are serious offenses that endanger lives and will attract severe legal consequences.

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He reiterated the Agency’s unwavering commitment to road safety and passionately appealed to operators of articulated vehicles, tankers and other heavy-duty trucks to exercise the highest degree of professionalism, vigilance and compliance with all traffic regulations.