BRT buses collide Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway
Several passengers have been injured after two buses operating on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system collided along a major expressway in Lagos. The crash occurred on Thursday morning at the Mangoro area of the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway, within the dedicated BRT lane, opposite the former Punch newspaper head office at Onipetesi in Ikeja.
Eyewitnesses say that the collision occurred when one of the BRT buses swerved to avoid colliding with a commercial bus that had entered the restricted BRT corridor. In trying to evade the commercial vehicle, the bus veered into the path of another oncoming BRT bus, resulting in a head-on crash.
Emergency responders and bystanders rushed to the scene to assist the injured. Although no fatalities have been reported so far, several passengers were taken to nearby medical facilities with varying degrees of injuries. Both drivers are also said to have sustained injuries, with one reportedly trapped behind the steering wheel before being freed.
Officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) along with other emergency agencies arrived to manage traffic congestion caused by the crash and to clear the damaged vehicles from the BRT lane. An official statement from LASTMA and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) is expected shortly, addressing the cause of the accident and reinforcing safety measures within the BRT system.
The incident raises renewed concerns about vehicle intrusion into dedicated lanes and the behaviour of drivers in and around BRT corridors. Commuters in Lagos have voiced worries about BRT driver conduct, citing examples of impatience, aggressive manoeuvres and lane violations that heighten risk on major routes.
