A senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), affiliated with the Federal Operation Unit Zone A in Ikeja, met a tragic end in a fatal car crash along the Lagos-Badagry expressway on Friday.
According to Mr. Williams Manga, the Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the accident transpired at approximately 11:20 a.m. around Elijah Bus Stop in Araromi-Ale, Oko-Afo.
The customs officer, identified as the victim, was driving his Toyota Camry with the registration number YAB 74 DD, heading from Lagos. Unfortunately, he collided head-on with a Mark Truck marked with the registration number MEK 631 XB, coming from the opposite direction.
Manga detailed that the customs officer was driving at a high speed and executed an improper overtaking manoeuvre, leading to the collision with the oncoming truck.
“We received notification at 11:25 a.m. and promptly arrived at the accident scene by 11:35 a.m. Regrettably, the customs officer had already passed away when we reached the location. With the assistance of customs personnel and soldiers present, we extricated the victim’s body from the car and conveyed it to the General Hospital in Badagry,” Manga revealed.
The accident was conclusively attributed to excessive speed and reckless overtaking on the part of the victim. Manga seized the opportunity to urge all motorists to adhere to speed limits and conduct regular vehicle inspections, which facilitate the swift identification and rectification of mechanical issues.
Dr. Olatunde Bakare, the Medical Director of the General Hospital in Badagry, confirmed the officer’s unfortunate demise. Bakare noted that the deceased’s remains had been conveyed to the hospital mortuary.
In a sombre parallel, it’s noteworthy that a similar incident occurred on July 9, when a heart-wrenching accident along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway claimed the lives of 15 individuals, including a 4-month-old infant, and left 8 others injured.
