A fully loaded Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus overturned on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway near Iyana-Ipaja on Friday morning, injuring 11 passengers. The accident, reported by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), occurred around 7:45 AM.
Emergency teams responded swiftly, providing medical aid at the scene before transporting the injured to nearby hospitals. The extent of their injuries has not yet been confirmed.
According to LASTMA, the bus had just left the BRT park at Iyana Ipaja when it collided with an abandoned pedestrian bridge foot, causing it to tip over onto its side. The accident is believed to have been caused by over-speeding, a recurring problem in Lagos’s public transport system.
The overturned bus led to significant traffic delays. To manage the situation, authorities diverted vehicles through a service lane from Orile towards Durbar. LASTMA updated motorists via X (formerly Twitter), urging them to follow the diversion and be patient as efforts to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow continued.
This incident adds to a troubling series of accidents involving the Lagos BRT system. In March 2023, a Lagos State Government staff bus collided with a train at the PWD/Shogunle railway line, resulting in multiple casualties. Survivors of that crash reported that the driver ignored safety signals while using an earpiece, although the driver later blamed the crash on mechanical failure.
Friday’s accident has renewed concerns about the safety of public transportation in Lagos, particularly regarding speed management and vehicle maintenance. As Lagos continues to expand its public transport network, there is an urgent need for stricter safety measures and better compliance with traffic regulations.
