An unidentified dispatch rider was on Monday crushed to death by a tanker around the Motorways area of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The tanker driver was subsequently attacked and injured by irate colleagues of the deceased rider, who protested the tragic incident.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the development, attributing the crash to excessive speeding by the tanker driver.
In a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA expressed regret over the fatal accident, which occurred at the Motorways inward Estate area of Alapere in Lagos.
According to him, preliminary findings revealed that the driver of an empty NIPCO tanker, with registration number TTN-776ZQ, was travelling at high speed when it rammed into the moving dispatch rider.
“The devastating impact resulted in the instantaneous death of the rider, casting a sombre atmosphere over the vicinity,” he said.
The situation escalated shortly after the incident, as a group of enraged dispatch riders gathered at the scene and attacked the tanker driver.
However, the prompt intervention of LASTMA officials and police officers prevented further breakdown of law and order. The officers managed to rescue the injured driver from the mob.
He was later handed over to officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, who transported him to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
To reinforce security and restore calm, operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, including personnel from the Alausa Police Station, were deployed to the scene. Their presence helped disperse the agitated crowd and prevent further violence.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended condolences to the family of the deceased rider and urged all road users to exercise caution.
He warned that reckless driving and overspeeding remain major causes of avoidable road fatalities across Lagos. “This unfortunate incident accentuates the urgent need for heightened vigilance and a collective recommitment to road safety. Every road user bears a fundamental responsibility to act prudently and safeguard human life,” he stated.
