Two Dead, Several Injured in Soka Junction Crash
Two people are dead, and several others are injured following a violent pile-up at the Soka Junction on the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway. The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the accident occurred late Saturday night, April 4, around 10:10 pm. A speeding heavy-duty truck lost control and ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians and stationary cars. The junction, a notorious bottleneck in Oluyole Local Government Area, became a scene of panic as bystanders fled the wreckage.
The police identified the primary vehicle as a white HOWO truck registered in Gombe. Preliminary reports suggest the driver, Abdullahi Bashiru, was travelling at a speed that made braking impossible. When the truck veered off its path, it crushed a Toyota Venza and a BMW before hitting people standing near the road. The force of the impact left several victims with life-threatening injuries. Survivors are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Abimbola has ordered a full investigation into the driver’s conduct. While Bashiru is in custody, the command is looking at whether mechanical failure played any role alongside the alleged recklessness. The state has struggled to manage the heavy haulage traffic that defines the Ibadan-Lagos corridor. This latest tragedy highlights the persistent danger of mixing high-speed logistics with busy pedestrian crossings.
Road safety officials have long warned about the Soka stretch of the expressway. Poor lighting at night often masks the speed of oncoming trucks for those trying to cross. The police statement stressed that this incident was entirely preventable had traffic regulations been observed. Motorists are being urged to lower their speed when approaching residential and commercial clusters along the highway.
The command has promised that justice will be served once the probe is complete. For now, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured and the clearance of the damaged vehicles. Residents have been asked to provide any dashcam footage or witness accounts to assist the investigators. Security agencies say they will increase patrols to deter the culture of speeding that plagues this vital transit artery.
This crash serves as a grim reminder of the costs of highway indiscipline. Despite repeated warnings, heavy truck drivers often treat the expressway as a private racetrack. The loss of life at Soka is a direct result of that misplaced confidence. The state government may now face renewed pressure to install better speed-calming measures at major junctions.