A commercial dispatch rider was killed on Wednesday after being crushed by a fuel tanker along Kodesho Road in Ikeja, Lagos State, while the driver was arrested by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) after allegedly attempting to flee the scene.
The fatal accident occurred at about noon opposite the MRS Filling Station, inward Awolowo Way/Oba Akran, on the Maryland–Ikeja axis.
According to LASTMA, the fully loaded tanker, bearing registration number T-19089 LA and conveying 33,000 litres of groundnut oil, struck the dispatch rider, who died instantly from the impact.
The agency said the tanker driver attempted to escape without stopping to assist the victim or report the incident to the authorities.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said the agency’s officers immediately pursued the fleeing vehicle after receiving a distress alert and successfully intercepted it before the driver could evade arrest.
“Upon receiving the distress alert, vigilant LASTMA officers mounted an immediate pursuit, successfully intercepted the fleeing vehicle and apprehended the driver before he could escape,” Bakare-Oki said.
He disclosed that the suspect and the tanker had been handed over to the State Traffic Department (STD) of the Area F Police Command in Ikeja for further investigation and possible prosecution.
LASTMA officials also secured the crash scene, coordinated traffic around the area and facilitated the evacuation process to minimise disruption to motorists.
Colleagues of the deceased later arrived at the scene, identified the victim and contacted his family.
Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, Bakare-Oki described the incident as “heartbreaking and avoidable,” urging operators of articulated vehicles, fuel tankers and other heavy-duty trucks to exercise greater caution and strictly comply with traffic regulations to prevent similar tragedies.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over road safety involving heavy-duty vehicles in Lagos, where authorities have repeatedly called for stricter adherence to traffic laws to reduce fatal crashes involving vulnerable road users.
