Petrol-laden Minibus Explodes in Okota, Two Dead.
LAGOS — Two commuters met a gruesome end on Tuesday as a commercial minibus erupted into a fireball along the Okota-Isolo corridor. The yellow vehicle, popularly known as “Faka” and bearing registration number SMK 823 YK, somersaulted repeatedly before the fatal explosion occurred. According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the driver and a female passenger in the front seat died instantly. Investigators found that the pair was burnt beyond recognition within the intense inferno. This catastrophe highlights the persistent danger of illegal fuel transportation within public transit vehicles on Lagos highways.
Preliminary reports indicate that a reckless maneuver by an unidentified private motorist triggered the initial crash. The private car allegedly reversed abruptly on the main carriageway, forcing the speeding minibus to apply emergency brakes. This sudden loss of stability caused the bus to overturn multiple times near the Balogun inward axis toward Mile 2. Furthermore, LASTMA revealed that the driver was illegally transporting a five-litre container of premium motor spirit (PMS) inside the cabin. This highly inflammable substance acted as a catalyst, igniting immediately upon the vehicle’s impact with the asphalt.
Conversely, the swift intervention of LASTMA officials on routine patrol prevented a much higher casualty count. The operatives successfully pulled eight injured passengers from the wreckage just moments before the fire reached its peak intensity. These survivors were immediately evacuated to a nearby medical facility for emergency treatment with the help of public-spirited citizens. In a related development, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service joined the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) to extinguish the blaze. Police officers from the Ilasa Division subsequently arrived to secure the scene and restore the flow of traffic.
Furthermore, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, condemned the reckless actions that led to this avoidable tragedy. He extended deep condolences to the bereaved families while warning motorists against the suicidal practice of reversing on highways. This incident follows a similar fire-related disaster in December involving a 45,000-litre diesel tanker on the Epe-Ijebu-Ode Expressway. Authorities maintain that the combination of high-speed travel and the “mobile bomb” habit of carrying fuel containers remains a lethal threat.
Ultimately, the Okota tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety protocols. The Lagos State Government continues to urge commercial drivers to prioritize human lives over the convenience of stashing extra fuel. Without a collective shift in driving culture, the state’s highways will remain vulnerable to such horrific, preventable explosions. For now, the families of the deceased are left to mourn the high price of a few liters of hidden petrol.