Truck crushes man to death in Lagos

A yet-to-be-identified man has been crushed to death by a truck driver at Mile 12 Market along Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday.

According to a statement made available to PUNCH Online by the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq,  the driver of the containerised truck with  number plate LSR 901 XV lost control of the vehicle due to a brake failure while travelling at full speed.

The statement partly read, “Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority today apprehended an articulated truck driver after crushing a scavenger pushing wheelbarrow to death by Mile 12 Market, Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

“The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed that the accident happened between a 16-tyre articulated truck ‘DAF’ (LSR 901 XV) and a scavenger pushing a wheelbarrow on the main carriageway by Mile 12 market inward Ketu along Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos”

Taofiq noted that the victim was saved alive from the accident scene by LASTMA officers but died shortly after.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of an articulated truck lost control while on top speed due to a brake failure and rammed into a scavenger pushing a wheelbarrow on the main carriage way inward Ketu, Lagos,” the statement noted.

Following his death, a group of miscreants and thugs attacked the truck driver; however, LASTMA officials, with the assistance of security officers, saved the driver and took him to Ketu Police Divisional Headquarters.

“Upon information on the death of the scavenger, some miscreants and hoodlums trooped out to attack the truck driver but, he was rescued to Ketu Police Divisional Headquarters by Lastma officials with the support of security personnel.

“The General Manager of LASTMA Mr. Bakare-Oki Olalekan appealed to Market leaders to regularly carry out safety enlightenment campaign on the danger using wheelbarrow to convey goods or food items on highways across the State,” the statement added.