A horrific road accident has occurred on the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with initial reports indicating a significant loss of life. The tragic event took place on Thursday, January 1, 2026, casting a shadow over the New Year celebrations.
Details of the Tragic Collision
The fatal crash happened in the NASFAT junction area of the expressway. According to eyewitness accounts and reports from The Punch newspaper, the accident involved an 18-seater commercial bus traveling from Lagos. The bus collided with a truck that was coming from the Ibadan direction but was in the process of making a U-turn near the NASFAT vicinity.
The force of the impact was so severe that the bus was forced underneath the truck. This catastrophic maneuver trapped numerous passengers beneath the heavy vehicle. Many other victims were reported to be unconscious at the scene immediately following the collision.
Rescue Efforts and Eyewitness Accounts
At the time initial reports were being filed, residents of the area and official emergency responders were engaged in frantic efforts to rescue the victims. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos and urgent rescue operations as teams worked to free those trapped and attend to the injured.
This devastating incident comes just days after Nigerian-British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua was involved in a separate accident on the same notorious highway. The recurrence of a major crash so soon after a high-profile incident has once again turned the national spotlight onto the safety challenges of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
A Road Under Scrutiny
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway remains one of Nigeria's most critical and heavily trafficked road corridors. Despite ongoing rehabilitation efforts, it continues to witness fatal accidents, often attributed to factors like:
- Reckless driving and speeding
- Poor road discipline, including illegal U-turns
- Vehicle overloading and mechanical failures
- Inadequate enforcement of traffic regulations
The timing of this accident, following so closely after Anthony Joshua's experience, has amplified public concern and calls for more decisive action from authorities like the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police Force to improve safety on this vital artery.
As rescue operations continued, the full extent of casualties remained unconfirmed, but the situation was described as grave. The community and the nation await further official statements from the emergency services regarding the final toll of this New Year's Day tragedy.
