Badagry accident: Sanwo-Olu mourns as death toll rises

 

IBRAHIM QUADRI

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed sadness over the auto accident that claimed the lives of no fewer than 14 persons at Agemowo axis, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos on Sunday.

 

 

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message signed and issued on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, sympathised with the immediate families of the victims of the accident.

 

 

 

A commercial bus (Mazda) with registration number MUS 411 XU carrying 19 passengers and coming from Lagos, collided with a truck registration with registration number AKM 926YQ, coming from Badagry on Sunday. The accident led to the death of about 14 people while about nine persons sustained injuries.

 

 

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu prayed that God will grant the families and friends of the accident victims fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

 

 

 

He said: “I am deeply saddened by the news of an auto accident that occurred at the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which claimed the lives of some people, including a four-month-old baby. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

 

 

 

“This is a very sober time for us as a government, and while we acknowledge God as the giver of life, the one who determines every man’s destiny, it saddens us when we experience incidents like this.

 

 

 

“The death of a loved one is usually very painful. On behalf of the Government and people of Lagos State, I sympathise with the immediate families, friends and associates of the victims of the auto accident. We prayed that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the management of General Hospital Badagry, near Lagos State, on Sunday night, released  the bodies of 15 dead passengers to their  relatives.

 

Dr Olatunde Bakare, the Medical Director of the hospital, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Badagry.

 

Bakare added that that eight other injured passengers had also been discharged and handed over to their relatives.

 

He said relatives of the discharged passengers had insisted in taking them to Benin Republic for further  treatment.

 

According to the medical director, 13 passengers were brought to the hospital dead while 10 of them were gravely injured.

 

“We started treating them immediately but unfortunately two of them gave up the ghost during the treatment making the dead to increase to 15 altogether.

 

“Their relatives from Benin Republic came to identify them and later brought Police report, saying they want to continue their treatment at home in Cotonou.

 

“They also brought Police reports asking us to release their dead bodies to them so that they can go and bury them at home.

 

“So, eight treated passengers and 15 dead bodies involved in a fatal accident on Sunday morning have been released to their relatives and they have taken them to Benin Republic,” he said.

 

Bakare said that the injured passengers enjoyed free medical treatment, courtesy of the Lagos State Government and General Hospital, Badagry.

 

“We did not collect money from any of them, all the drugs, bloods and services rendered are paid for by the Lagos State Government and the General Hospital,” he said.

 

NAN reports that no fewer than 14 persons, including a four-month-old baby, died on Sunday morning in an auto accident along Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos.

 

Mr Williams Manga, Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, disclosed this to NAN in Badagry on Sunday.

 

Manga said that nine other persons sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred at Agemowo axis of the road, at about 7. 31 a.m.

 

He said a Mazda commercial bus with registration number MUS 411 XU, carrying 19 passengers, travelling from Lagos end, collided with a granite-filled truck with registration number AKM 926YQ, coming from Badagry end of the highway.