Deadly Lagos-Ibadan expressway accident claims 6 lives, leaves many stranded

Six people have died in a multi-vehicle road accident involving gas tankers, articulated trucks and private vehicles in the Ibadan toll gate area of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, according to the Oyo State fire service.

In addition to the death toll, the collision which led to a fire outbreak resulted in the delay of many travelers on Saturday as vehicles began piling up on the highway.

According to a statement by Moroof Akinwande, chairman of the Oyo state fire service, eight other people were pulled out alive from the accident and taken to FRSC operatives for necessary treatment.

Akinwande revealed that the fire service got a distress call at 9:29pm from a police officer called Sola Rotimi, and immediately dispatched its operatives to the scene.

According to him, the emergency workers arrived on the spot to discover six vehicles in collision which include gas tankers, articulated trucks and two private vehicles.

“The crew quickly swung into action, and the fire was restricted from causing further damage to other vehicles and nearby properties,” he said.

Preliminary investigations, he added, indicated that brake failure may have been responsible for the accident.

The fire service boss urged motorists to exercise caution on highways and ensure their vehicles are equipped with functional fire extinguishers to help contain emergencies before they escalate.

Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of vehicles trapped in gridlock as burnt tankers obstructed one section of the road.

Charred vehicle parts and burnt tyres littered the highway, while commuters expressed frustration over the prolonged delays.

“We have been on the road since 7am. We are still here. We have spent more than necessary. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway needs urgent rescue,” one stranded passenger said.

Bayegun Oluwatoyin, the comedian and pastor popularly known as Woli Arole, also lamented the situation in a video shared online.

“If you are planning to come to Ibadan today, just stay home. People have been here for between three to four hours. I learnt there are cars burnt on the way since yesterday. It’s serious,” he said.

Damilare Ogundoyin, a gospel singer known as Dare Justified, advised travellers to plan their journeys carefully and consider alternative routes, warning that movement along the affected stretch remained extremely slow due to the incident.

“If you are travelling from Lagos to Ibadan or from Ibadan to Lagos today, please plan accordingly,” he wrote.

“There is currently a major traffic gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following a collision involving four tankers and two vehicles.

“The incident has caused a complete blockage of traffic in both directions.

“Many commuters have reportedly been stranded in traffic since as early as 7:00 a.m., and movement along the affected stretch remains extremely slow.”