A tragic incident occurred on Sunday, November 17, 2024, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when an unidentified revenue collector, employed by a transport union, was fatally struck by a truck while attempting to collect dues from the driver in the New Garage area.
Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), confirmed the fatal accident in a statement.
According to Taofiq, the victim was crossing the busy expressway to reach the truck when he was run over, sustaining fatal injuries from the collision.
"The incident occurred earlier today involving a container truck (FST 887 XD), which tragically hit the revenue collector while he was crossing the road to collect fees from the truck driver," Taofiq explained. "The victim was killed instantly due to the severity of the impact."
LASTMA personnel quickly arrived at the scene to manage the situation and ease the resulting traffic congestion.
The remains of the deceased were later handed over to officers from the Adigboluje Police Division, who are now working with the victim’s family to carry out the necessary legal procedures.
Taofiq also reported that the truck driver fled the scene immediately after the accident, likely to avoid responsibility for the incident.
"The driver, realizing the gravity of the situation, fled the scene to escape liability," he added. "LASTMA officials promptly cleared the obstructing vehicle, which had caused significant traffic delays, and handed it over to the police for further investigation."
In response to the tragedy, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager of LASTMA, urged that revenue collectors adopt safer methods for collecting dues, especially in high-traffic areas, to prevent future fatalities.
Speaking through Taofiq, Bakare-Oki expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to the family of the deceased.
"This heart-wrenching incident underscores the urgent need for improved safety protocols in the process of collecting revenue, particularly on major highways," Bakare-Oki said. "We offer our sincere condolences to the family of the victim during this difficult time."
This fatality is the latest in a series of accidents reported in Lagos and Ogun states. Just last week, four people died in separate crashes across the region, according to statements from Taofiq and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE).
The crashes, which occurred in the Epe, Ijaiye, and Ketu areas of Lagos, as well as in Agbara-Lusada, Ogun State, also left several others injured.