40-foot container crushes seven to death & twelve other injured in Lagos-Badagry expressway.

About seven persons were killed and 12 others injured when a 40-foot container fell off a truck in the Alakija area on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway on Wednesday.
About 7.30am, the truck moved from its lane to another lane and rammed into a commercial bus after its brakes failed.

In the process, the container the truck was carrying fell, killing seven people and injuring 12 others.
The incident happened at the Alakija bus stop.Some commercial motorcycle riders at the bus stop were also trapped under the fallen container.

It was learnt that the minibus, with number plate EPE 972 XH, was crushed, while its passengers were trapped.
Policemen from the FESTAC Police Division, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Lagos State Fire Service were observed at the scene.
A large crowd of sympathisers were also observed trying to rescue the motorcycle riders and bus passengers trapped under the container.

A witness, Biodun Solaja, said that three of the deceased were motorcycle riders.He identified the two of them simply as Ganiyu and Mohammed.He said, “The problem here is that motorcycle riders and bus drivers always block a part of the road in their search for passengers. Also, the road is in a bad condition and traffic is always heavy at the bus stop.

“This morning, the truck had wanted to manoeuvre its way when the container on it fell and crushed the passengers in the bus. It also crushed some okada riders at the junction. Many people were trapped under the container.

“Three okada riders died on the spot. Others had broken legs and arms. There was confusion at the bus stop for several hours.”

A policeman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the slow pace of construction work at the bus stop contributed to the accident.

He said, “Five persons died on the spot. As a result of the failed brakes, the driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the minibus. Apart from the five persons who were killed on the spot, several others were trapped under the container. Traffic officials were assisted by some sympathisers, who rushed several injured persons to different hospitals.