Three people have been confirmed dead while three others sustained injuries in a road crash along the Sagamu-Benin Expressway in Ogun State after a crane allegedly travelling against traffic collided with a truck.
The accident occurred around 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday near Babcock Junction in Ikenne Local Government Area, according to the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE).
TRACE spokesperson, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident in a statement released to journalists in Abeokuta, saying the crash involved a white Mercedes-Benz truck with registration number LG 59 BLF and a yellow crane without a registration number.
Akinbiyi said preliminary findings showed that the crane was allegedly moving against traffic at excessive speed when it crashed head-on into the oncoming truck.
“Six persons, comprising three males and three females, were involved in the crash. A total of three persons, comprising two males and one female, lost their lives, while three male victims sustained varying degrees of injuries,” he said.
Following the crash, TRACE officials, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Police and another rescue team known as “Papa Oscar” responded to the scene to provide assistance and manage the situation.
The injured victims were taken to Babcock University Teaching Hospital for medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the morgue of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.
Akinbiyi added that traffic was temporarily diverted from Delabo Junction to the second carriageway to reduce congestion while authorities worked to remove the damaged vehicles from the road.
The TRACE spokesperson expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and warned motorists against dangerous practices, particularly driving against traffic, popularly known as “one-way” driving.
He urged road users to obey traffic regulations, stressing that violations such as route diversion and reckless driving often lead to avoidable tragedies.
