Scores injured as drunk bus driver rams into streetlight in Lagos

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has issued a public alert following a lone accident involving a fully loaded commercial bus with registration number KTU 69 YJ, which occurred over the weekend along the Alausa corridor in Ikeja.

According to a statement released on Sunday by Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, preliminary investigations revealed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol when he lost control and rammed into a streetlight pole.

The impact of the crash caused panic among road users and residents in the area. Several passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries, with a couple seated in the middle row reportedly suffering serious injuries.

The agency said, “Thanks to the rapid and professionally coordinated intervention of LASTMA operatives stationed nearby, four severely injured individuals—including the aforementioned couple, along with one male and one female passenger—were swiftly extricated from the wreckage, administered emergency care, and stabilised on-site.

“They were subsequently transferred to the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), who conveyed them to the Trauma and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate for specialised medical attention. Fortunately, the remaining passengers sustained no serious injuries.

“Throughout the rescue operation, officers of the Alausa Division of the Nigeria Police Force maintained a secure perimeter, ensuring the safety of responders and the preservation of the accident scene.”

In his official remarks, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, strongly condemned the reckless endangerment posed by driving under the influence of alcohol. He reaffirmed the agency’s firm commitment to curbing alcohol-impaired driving through sustained advocacy and enhanced surveillance efforts.

Mr. Bakare-Oki noted that LASTMA’s Monitoring and Surveillance Unit continues to engage proactively with drivers across motor parks in the state, reinforcing the agency’s flagship campaign: “Don’t Drink and Drive.”

He also extended heartfelt sympathies to the injured passengers and wished them a speedy and full recovery.