Tanker Brake Failure Kills One at Abule-Egba
LAGOS — A catastrophic brake failure involving an unladen MACK tanker resulted in one fatality and left four others trapped on Friday evening at Ekoro Junction, Abule-Egba. The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident, which occurred at approximately 7:30 pm, as the truck spiraled out of control. The tanker, registered as EKY 900 XY, crushed a Toyota Corolla before plowing into a roadside shop with devastating force. Consequently, the collision triggered a high-stakes rescue operation involving multiple state emergency agencies and community volunteers. While it is true that four victims were pulled from the mangled remains, one person died instantly at the scene.
The Director of Public Affairs for LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, released a formal situation report on Saturday morning via social media. He disclosed that the magnitude of the impact caused significant structural damage to the nearby commercial properties. Furthermore, the tanker driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after the crash to avoid an angry mob. Security operatives from the Ekoro Police Division have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the runaway driver. In a related development, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) deployed heavy-duty recovery equipment to clear the wreckage. Indeed, the incident paralyzed traffic flow toward Abule-Egba for several hours, necessitating robust strategic diversions by field officers.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, has lamented the persistent neglect of routine vehicle maintenance by haulage operators. He stressed that preventable mechanical deficiencies remain a leading cause of severe traffic fatalities in the state. Granted, the government has intensified roadworthiness checks, yet “killing machines” like this tanker continue to ply densely populated corridors. Notably, the Lagos State Ambulance Service provided immediate medical stabilization to the four survivors before their hospital transfer. Above all, the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) handled the evacuation of the deceased to a morgue. This multi-agency synergy ensured that the chaos did not escalate into a secondary environmental or safety disaster.
Significantly, the Police are conducting a thorough investigation to establish the exact sequence of the mechanical failure. Subsequently, the findings will guide the prosecution of the truck owner and the fleeing driver under extant laws. Although the debris has been cleared, the psychological impact on the Ekoro trading community remains profound. Therefore, the state must transition from reactive rescue missions to proactive, mandatory technical audits for all articulated vehicles.
Finally, the government has urged transport unions to enforce stricter internal safety protocols for their members. As a result of this crash, the call for a total ban on articulated vehicles during peak hours is gaining fresh momentum.