Truck crushes scavenger to death in Lagos

A collector pushing a wheelbarrow was on Saturday crushed to death by an articulated truck at the Mile 12 Market, along Ikorodu Road in Lagos.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr Adebayo Taofiq, the truck driver was apprehended by its officials.

He said, “The accident happened between a 16-tyre articulated truck ‘DAF’ (LSR 901 XV) and a scavenger pushing a wheelbarrow on the main carriageway by Mile 12 market inward Ketu along Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of an articulated truck lost control while on top speed due to a brake failure and rammed into a scavenger pushing a wheelbarrow on the main carriageway inward Ketu, Lagos.

“Immediately after the accident, the scavenger was rescued alive by LASTMA officers but, later died while rushing him to a nearby hospital for medical treatment by security personnel.”

Taofiq added that some louts in the area trooped out to lynch the truck driver but he was rescued by security agents.

“Upon information on the death of the scavenger, some miscreants and hoodlums trooped out to attack the truck driver but, he was rescued to Ketu Police Divisional Headquarters by Lastma officials with the support of security personnel,” he added.

However, the General Manager of LASTMA Mr Bakare-Oki Olalekan, appealed to market leaders to “regularly carry out a safety enlightenment campaign on the danger of using wheelbarrows to convey goods or food items on highways across the state.”

He also warned truck drivers to “always avoid speeding and ensure that the braking system of their trucks is in good condition before embarking on any journey within or outside the state.”