A tragic road accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has claimed ten lives, including a male child, after a commercial bus collided with a truck that was reversing on the highway. The crash occurred at approximately 8:05 p.m. on Sunday at Saapade Bridge along the Ibadan-Lagos carriageway in Ogun State.
Details of the Fatal Collision
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that the accident involved a white Sinotruk (CNHTC) truck and a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus with registration number EKY 290 YM. According to the FRSC, nine adult males and one male child lost their lives, while four adult males and two adult females sustained injuries. Two other male passengers escaped unhurt.
The Ogun State Sector Command of the FRSC attributed the crash to a combination of speeding, wrongful overtaking, and dangerous driving. Preliminary findings indicated that the truck driver triggered the collision after attempting to reverse on the highway.
Truck Driver Reversed After Missing Route
According to the command's spokesperson, Afolabi Odunsi, the truck driver reportedly reversed after missing his route, leaving little room for the approaching commercial bus. “The truck driver reportedly reversed on the highway after missing his direction, while the approaching bus, travelling at high speed, attempted to navigate through the limited space available and rammed into the truck,” Mr Odunsi said.
He stated that a total of 18 people were involved in the crash, comprising 15 adult males, two adult females, and one male child. “Sadly, 10 persons lost their lives, comprising nine adult males and one male child, while six persons sustained varying degrees of injuries. Two adult males escaped unhurt,” he added.
Rescue Operations and Aftermath
The injured victims were evacuated by FRSC rescue operatives to Victory Hospital, Ogere, for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at FOS Mortuary, Ipara. Mr Odunsi said officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Ishara Division had taken custody of the crashed vehicles pending further investigation. He added that the accident scene had since been cleared, restoring the free flow of traffic along the highway.
FRSC Warns Against Reversing on Highways
Reacting to the incident, the Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Oludare Ogunjobi, described the incident as avoidable and urged motorists, especially truck operators and commercial drivers, to strictly comply with traffic regulations. Mr Ogunjobi cautioned drivers against reversing on highways, speeding, wrongful overtaking, and other dangerous driving practices, noting that such violations continue to account for many fatal crashes on Nigerian roads.
He advised motorists who miss their routes to proceed to designated turning points instead of attempting dangerous manoeuvres that could endanger other road users.
Growing Toll on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The latest crash adds to the growing number of fatal accidents recorded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of Nigeria's busiest transport corridors, where excessive speeding, reckless driving, and traffic violations have repeatedly resulted in heavy casualties. In December 2025, world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was involved in an accident in front of Sinamo Company along the same expressway. Mr Joshua's vehicle, a Lexus 570 SUV with registration number KRD 850 HM, ran into a parked truck, instantly killing his friends and team members – Latif 'Latz' Ayodele and Sina Ghami. Mr Joshua and the driver suffered only minor injuries.
