One dead as trucks collide on important Lagos bridge

One Killed as Articulated Trucks Collide on Otedola Bridge, Lagos

January 23, 2026

One person has been confirmed dead following a collision involving two articulated trucks on Otedola Bridge, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, triggering severe traffic congestion and an extensive emergency response.

The crash involved a sand-laden trailer and another truck conveying granite. The driver of the sand-carrying truck was trapped in the wreckage and sustained fatal injuries. Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) rescued the victim and handed him over to the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the General Hospital, Ikeja. The driver of the second truck reportedly escaped unhurt.

In a related incident close to the crash scene, a flour-laden trailer overturned, compounding traffic congestion on the busy corridor. Police officers from the Alausa Division were deployed to secure the area and support rescue and traffic control efforts.

The combined incidents led to extensive gridlock, with road closures affecting about 80 per cent of the expressway, forcing motorists to divert through Ojodu–Olole and connecting routes towards Gbagada and Ojota.

Commenting on the incidents, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, described the crashes as “deeply regrettable and largely preventable,” attributing them to impatience and failure to yield right of way, particularly among operators of heavy-duty vehicles.

He urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic regulations and exercise patience and mutual courtesy on the roads, while expressing condolences to the family of the deceased.