A dispatch rider has lost his life in a fatal collision involving a containerised articulated truck along the Ilupeju Bypass area of Lagos State, barely 24 hours after another rider was killed by a hit-and-run driver on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The incident was confirmed on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, who disclosed that the crash occurred after the rider allegedly struggled for right of way with a commercial minibus, popularly known as “Korope.”
According to Taofiq, preliminary investigations indicated that the dispatch rider lost control of his motorcycle during the confrontation with the minibus and veered into a moving articulated trailer along the busy Ilupeju corridor.
He said the impact of the collision caused severe injuries, leading to the rider’s immediate death at the scene.
“Preliminary security investigations disclosed that the tragic incident ensued after the dispatch rider reportedly engaged in a dangerous struggle for right of way with a commercial minibus, popularly known as ‘Korope’, before losing control of the motorcycle and crashing into a moving articulated trailer along the ever-busy Ilupeju corridor,” Taofiq stated.
“The severe impact of the collision resulted in fatal injuries, culminating in the instantaneous death of the rider at the scene.”
Taofiq explained that LASTMA operatives monitoring traffic around the Mushin axis quickly responded to distress alerts and immediately commenced rescue and traffic management operations.
He added that officials recovered the remains of the deceased rider, which had become trapped beneath the articulated truck, while also working to ease the heavy gridlock triggered by the accident.
“LASTMA officials worked tirelessly in synergy with other emergency response agencies to contain the resultant traffic backlog while simultaneously ensuring public safety, security and orderliness throughout the duration of the rescue and evacuation exercise,” the statement added.
Officials of the State Environmental Health Management Unit were later contacted to evacuate the corpse from the scene.
Taofiq further disclosed that the wreckage of the motorcycle and the articulated trailer involved in the accident had been handed over to officers of the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, sympathised with the family of the deceased and urged motorists, particularly dispatch riders and operators of articulated vehicles, to exercise caution and avoid reckless competition for road space.
Bakare-Oki noted that the recently concluded stakeholders’ engagement with courier and dispatch riders was aimed at sensitising operators on the importance of safety consciousness, adherence to government-approved speed limits and compliance with traffic regulations.
The latest tragedy comes hours after another dispatch rider was reportedly killed at the Magboro Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after being knocked down by a wrong-way driver who fled the scene.
