Tragedy struck on two major Nigerian highways as separate road crashes in Ogun and Kano states claimed seven lives and left 60 people injured, authorities confirmed. The Federal Road Safety Corps said the accidents, which occurred within hours of each other, involved multiple vehicles and were linked to speeding, wrongful overtaking, and driver fatigue.
The first crash happened along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Ogere in Ogun State, where a commercial bus collided with a truck at dawn. FRSC Ogun Sector Commander Anthony Uga said four passengers died on the spot while 32 others sustained injuries ranging from fractures to severe lacerations. Eyewitnesses reported that the bus driver was attempting to overtake at high speed when he rammed into the slow-moving trailer. Rescue teams from the FRSC, police, and local volunteers evacuated victims to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.
Hours later, another deadly crash occurred on the Kano-Zaria Road in Kano State involving a Toyota Hiace bus and a DAF truck. Kano Sector Commander Ibrahim Abdullahi confirmed three fatalities and 28 injured passengers. Preliminary investigation showed the bus driver dozed off, veered into the opposite lane, and collided head-on with the oncoming truck. The injured were taken to Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel say some cases are critical.
The FRSC has renewed warnings to commercial drivers to avoid night trips, observe speed limits, and take mandatory rest periods. “These were avoidable crashes. Seven families are mourning today because of impatience and fatigue,” Commander Uga said, adding that enforcement of speed-limiting devices and regular alcohol checks will be intensified on both corridors.
The Lagos-Ibadan and Kano-Zaria highways are among Nigeria’s busiest and deadliest routes, with FRSC data showing they account for a high percentage of annual road traffic deaths. Bad portions, reckless overtaking, and overloaded vehicles remain recurring factors, despite ongoing rehabilitation works and safety campaigns.
While the injured receive treatment, the FRSC has deposited bodies of the deceased at public morgues and begun contacting families. Authorities appealed to transport unions to prioritize driver training and passenger manifest compliance, stressing that enforcement alone cannot stop the carnage without discipline behind the wheel.
