14 persons including a four-month-old baby died on Sunday morning in an auto accident along Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos.
Mr Williams Manga, Unit Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, confirmed the accident.
Manga said that nine other persons sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred at Agemowo axis of the road, around 7.31 a.m.
He revealed that a commercial bus (Mazda) with registration number MUS 411 XU carrying 19 passengers and coming from Lagos, was involved in a collision with a granite truck with registration number AKM 926YQ coming from Badagry.
“The accident occurred around 7.31.a.m. when it was raining heavily along Lagos-Badagry Expressway. My men got to the scene of the accident at about 7.41.a.m. and took the injured to General Hospital Badagry, while the dead were deposited at the mortuary of the hospital.
“Out of the 14 casualties, eight of them are male passengers, five female and one four-month-old female child.
“The accident was caused by speeding by the two vehicles while it was raining heavily,” Manga stated.
The commander confirmed that the driver of the truck was not affected.
Manga urged motorists not to exceed speed limits and to always have routine vehicle checks, for prompt detection and replacement of faults.
A correspondent who visited the accident scene reported that some people there could not hold back tears.
Mrs Theresa Avoseh, one of those at the scene, said the people involved in the accident were returning home after celebrating with their relations at Makoko, in Lagos.
“The bus, loaded around 5.30.a.m., was going to Seme with people who went to celebrate with their relatives,” she said, adding that the accident occurred while it was raining heavily.
Dr Olatunde Bakare, the Medical Director of General Hospital in Badagry, said 10 of the victims were brought in dead.
He said that while his staff were attending to the injured ones, four more succumbed to death, which raised the number to 14.
Bakare said that they were doing their best to save the lives of the nine surviving passengers.
He urged motorists to drive safely on the highways, especially during this rainy season.
