A pedestrian with hearing impairment was killed on Sunday in an accident involving two commercial minibuses along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, inward Maryland, Lagos State.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, stating that one of the minibuses, while speeding, lost control and rammed into a stationary vehicle before hitting the pedestrian, who was waiting at a designated bus stop near Temac Filling Station.

The spokesperson for LASEMA, Taofiq Adebayo, said that officers from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Area F Police Division responded to the accident.

The statement read, “In a harrowing and unfortunate incident, a deaf pedestrian met a tragic and untimely demise while innocently awaiting a commercial bus at a designated stop along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, inward Maryland, adjacent to Temac Filling Station. The fatal collision involved two Suzuki mini commercial buses (Korope) bearing registration numbers EPE 279 YJ and BDG 558 YG.

“Preliminary inquiries indicate that one of the vehicles, owing to reckless overspeeding, veered out of control and violently rammed into a stationary minibus before mercilessly mowing down the unsuspecting pedestrian.

“Demonstrating swift crisis intervention in alignment with the United Nations Response Time (UNRT), operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) promptly arrived at the scene, cordoning off the affected area and summoning law enforcement personnel from the Area F Police Division, who assumed custody of both vehicles for an exhaustive investigation.”

The remains of the victim were later evacuated by officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit.

Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, warned commercial drivers against reckless driving and urged them to maintain their vehicles properly, especially their braking systems.

Giwa also highlighted the role of Lagos’ Intelligence Transport System, which monitors speed violations at key locations such as Alapere, Ogudu Road, and Nitel, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, while urging drivers to adhere strictly to speed limits to safeguard lives and property.

“Ensuring road safety is a collective responsibility. Indiscriminate speeding and flagrant disregard for traffic laws constitute an existential threat to public safety. I implore all motorists to strictly operate within legal parameters to avert needless loss of human lives,” he stated.

A large crowd of commuters were on Monday sighted on an alternative pedestrian bridge in the Oshodi area of Lagos State.

TheNigerian Metro learnt this was due to the closure of the pedestrian bridge linking Oshodi Bus Terminals 2 and 3.

The Lagos State Government had ordered the bridge’s immediate closure in January, citing concerns over its safety and structural integrity.

It was gathered that the development, however, coincided with the arrest of commuters crossing the road by officials of the state environmental sanitation, otherwise known as KAI.

This led to overcrowding on the bridge as seen in a viral video by our correspondent.

Some of the commuters also groaned over the development, citing inconvenience and cases of theft.

While calling on the state government to hasten the repair of the main bridge, the commuters expressed fear over the imminent danger associated with the crowd on the alternative bridge.

A commuter, Lanre Olakunle, who spoke to our correspondent, however disclosed that there is no sign of an ongoing repair on the bridge.

“I don’t understand why the other pedestrian bridge has been closed, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any construction or maintenance work taking place. It’s frustrating because pedestrians now have to take longer, sometimes riskier routes just to cross the road. If there were visible repairs or a valid reason for the closure, it would make sense, but as it stands, it feels unnecessary and inconvenient.”

An X user, Femi Longer, lamented that the bridge had been closed for over a month.

“The second pedestrian bridge that has been closed for over a month now should be fixed and open ASAP,” he wrote.

Another X user, @Kemi, while expressing fear due to the condition of the bridge stated that she avoided the bridge by taking another route to her destination.

She wrote, “I always avoid anything that will make me cross this pedestrian bridge in Lagos. I was going to Anthony last year because I didn’t want to take Oshodi Bridge. I went through Ikeja, Maryland then took Keke to Anthony.”

“Moving too close to each other in this condition is not safe at all. I have to keep my bag very close to myself this morning,” another X user identified simply as Gloria wrote.

Meanwhile, while reacting to the viral video, the state government assured commuters that efforts were underway to alleviate the overcrowding.

In a statement posted on X.com on Monday evening, the state Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, acknowledged the challenges faced by residents and commuters in the area due to the high volume of foot traffic at the alternative bridge.

Wahab also reassured the public that the government was already taking steps to address the situation.

He wrote, “Dear Lagosians, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources have taken note of the numerous complaints experienced during the usage of the pedestrian bridge in Oshodi this morning.

“The relevant authorities have been notified of the need to make available additional bridges in the axis.”

Wahab also commended residents for their adherence to the law against the crossing of highways, urging them to keep at it while the government works towards addressing the overcrowding and safety concerns raised by commuters.

He wrote, “We thank you for adhering to the ‘No Crossing of Highway’ law in Lagos State and we’d like to plead that we all keep at it as we work to improve your commute in the axis.”.

The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the pedestrian bridge connecting Oshodi Bus Terminals 2 and 3, citing safety concerns.

The government raised alarms over the bridge’s safety and structural integrity.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, issued the order in a statement released on Friday, expressing concerns about the bridge’s condition.

“The order also mandated the contractor responsible for the initial construction of the terminal, through the Office of Infrastructure, to place concrete barriers at the entrances leading to the bridge. This is to safeguard the lives of pedestrians who use the infrastructure,” he said.

The commissioner explained that the closure would enable a comprehensive structural integrity assessment of the bridge, to determine whether it requires repairs or reconstruction.

Osiyemi advised pedestrians to use an alternative bridge located 30 metres away while the assessment is conducted.

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The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources enforcement team has punished some hoodlums for defecating at the Ile Epo Pedestrian Bridge in the Oshodi area of the state.

This was made known by the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on X.com on Saturday.

Wahab said, “The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources enforcement team has taken decisive action at Ile Epo Pedestrian Bridge, addressing the issue of hoodlums who defiled the bridge with waste and defecation.”

According to the statement, the punishment came after these individuals were arrested on Saturday.

They were then tasked with clearing all the filth and restoring the bridge to a clean and safe state.

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A speeding vehicle along the Oremeji Bus Stop corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway fatally struck 43-year-old Lookman Raji on Sunday evening.

According to TheNigerian Metro, an eyewitness account and a statement from the Ogun State Police Command on Monday revealed that the driver, whose identity remained unknown, struck the pedestrian at approximately 6:45 p.m.

An eyewitness at the Ibafo Divisional Police Headquarters, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, informed our correspondent that the deceased, a resident of Oremeji, was attempting to cross the expressway when a speeding vehicle struck him.

“The victim, Lookman Raji, a 43-year-old male resident of Toyin Oremeji Street, Ibafo, tragically died at the scene. The incident occurred as he attempted to cross the expressway without a clear view of oncoming traffic,” the eyewitness said, adding that the driver fled immediately after the accident.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Superintendent of Police Odutola Omolola, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Monday, stating, “Efforts are underway to locate and apprehend the fleeing driver. The investigation remains active, and further updates will be shared as developments emerge.”

She revealed that the deceased’s body had been identified by his family and subsequently transported to Real Divine Touch Hospital in Ibafo.

Odutola added, “The Motor Traffic Division visited the accident scene, capturing photographs and creating a rough sketch map to assist with the investigation. Statements from witnesses are also being gathered to support efforts to locate the driver.

“Residents are advised to exercise caution when crossing highways and are encouraged to report any information that could help identify the vehicle involved in the incident.”

A similar fatal hit-and-run accident occurred near the Kara Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State on Boxing Day, resulting in the death of two male pedestrians.

According to a report by TheNigerian Metro last Friday, the victims were attempting to cross the expressway without exercising proper caution when they were hit by unidentified vehicles.