Gladness Gideon
An unidentified pedestrian lost their life on Sunday after being struck by a lorry while attempting to cross the busy Ojota main carriageway in Lagos, bypassing the nearby pedestrian bridge. The fatal incident, which triggered a secondary collision, has prompted fresh warnings from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) over the dangers of illegal highway crossings.
According to a statement released by LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, the lorry driver attempted to flee the scene after hitting the pedestrian but lost control and crashed into a Toyota Corolla with registration number LND 905 HN.
LASTMA officers at the scene acted swiftly to apprehend the driver and secure the vehicle. Both have since been handed over to the Ogudu Police Division for further investigation. The body of the deceased was later transferred to officials of the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit in accordance with protocol.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as “tragic and wholly preventable,” lamenting that the victim had ignored the pedestrian bridge constructed for safe crossing.
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“The Lagos State Government has invested significantly in pedestrian bridges, and it is incumbent upon all road users to utilise them conscientiously,” Bakare-Oki stated.
He emphasized that ignoring designated safety infrastructure not only endangers the individual involved but poses a broader risk to other road users. “Disregard for traffic safety protocols endangers not only the individual but also the broader public,” he said.
LASTMA reiterated its call for collective vigilance and compliance with traffic laws, urging pedestrians to resist the temptation of shortcuts that could cost lives.
The Ojota area, one of Lagos’s busiest traffic nodes, has witnessed similar incidents in the past, prompting repeated advocacy for pedestrian bridge usage. Authorities say enforcement will be stepped up in the coming weeks to curb such preventable tragedies.