At least six people lost their lives in a multi-vehicle collision involving gas tankers, articulated trucks and private cars at the Ibadan toll gate axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, causing a fire outbreak and hours-long traffic congestion.
The fatal accident occurred on Friday night and left hundreds of motorists stranded as traffic built up along one of Nigeria’s busiest highways well into Saturday.
Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a statement, revealing that eight other victims were rescued from the wreckage and handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for medical treatment.
According to Akinwande, the fire service received a distress call at about 9:29 p.m. from a police officer identified as Sola Rotimi, prompting the immediate deployment of emergency responders to the scene.
On arrival, firefighters discovered that six vehicles, including gas tankers, articulated trucks and two cars, had been involved in the crash.
Parts of the accident scene were already engulfed in flames.
Akinwande said the firefighters acted swiftly to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby vehicles and surrounding properties.
“The crew quickly swung into action, and the fire was restricted from causing further damage to other vehicles and nearby properties,” he said.
Preliminary investigations, he added, indicated that brake failure was the likely cause of the crash.
The fire service boss urged motorists to exercise caution while driving and ensure that their vehicles are equipped with functional fire extinguishers to help contain emergencies before they escalate.
The incident created severe traffic disruption along the expressway, with burnt tankers obstructing sections of the road.
Videos circulating on social media showed long queues of vehicles stretching for several kilometres, while charred vehicle remains and burnt tyres littered parts of the highway.
Many commuters expressed frustration over the prolonged delays, with some reportedly trapped in traffic for several hours.
Among those affected was Nigerian comedian and content creator, Bayegun Oluwatoyin, popularly known as Woli Arole.
In a video shared on Facebook on Saturday, he appealed to motorists planning to travel to Ibadan to reconsider their journeys due to the gridlock.
He said commuters had been stranded for between three and four hours and suggested that an earlier vehicle fire may have contributed to the traffic situation.
He also called on traffic and road safety authorities to intervene and restore normal movement along the route.
The video, sighted by Tribune Online, captured extensive traffic congestion involving trucks, cars and other vehicles stretching along the expressway.
“If you are planning to come to Ibadan today just stay. People have been here three to four hours. I think there was car burnt on the way yesterday or so. It’s serious,” he said in the video.
Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
