Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A man has died and his wife is in critical condition following a fatal truck accident at Eleko Junction along the Lekki–Ajah Expressway in Lagos State, authorities and traffic officials have confirmed. The collision, involving a heavy articulated truck laden with granite and a privately owned saloon car, occurred on the morning of Thursday, 12 February 2026, prompting emergency response efforts from state traffic agencies and law enforcement.
Preliminary reports from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) indicate that the granite‑laden truck was travelling at significant speed along the Epe axis when it experienced a mechanical failure, believed to be a catastrophic brake malfunction while approaching Eleko Junction. The loss of control caused the truck to veer off its designated path and collide forcefully with the Toyota saloon car, crushing it under the weight of the oversized vehicle.
The impact of the crash trapped the male driver inside the wreckage. Rescue operatives from LASTMA and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), supported by bystanders, worked to extricate both occupants from the crushed car. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife sustained multiple life‑threatening injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. Emergency teams described the scene as chaotic, with the overturned truck creating significant obstruction on the busy expressway.
The driver of the truck reportedly fled the scene immediately after the collision, abandoning the vehicle and its heavy cargo. Law enforcement officers from the Akodo Police Division were deployed to secure the area during the rescue operation and initiate the search for the fleeing truck driver. LASTMA officials emphasised that hit‑and‑run behaviour not only compounds the suffering of victims but also hinders post‑crash investigations and traffic management efforts.
Lagos State authorities said they believe the mechanical failure in the truck’s braking system was a key factor in the crash. In a public statement, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare‑Oki, described the tragedy as largely preventable and called on commercial transport operators to prioritise vehicle maintenance and ensure compliance with road safety regulations. He reiterated that excessive speed and poor mechanical condition of heavy‑duty trucks remain major contributors to fatal accidents on Lagos highways.
The Lekki–Ajah Expressway, one of Lagos’ busiest traffic corridors linking the affluent Lekki area with the Epe and Ajah suburbs, has been the scene of numerous traffic incidents in recent years. The combination of high traffic volumes, mixed vehicle types, and frequent movement of heavy commercial trucks has made certain junctions along the route particularly susceptible to collisions involving brake failures and loss of vehicle control.
Road transport experts say that brake system deterioration, often exacerbated by overloading and inadequate preventive maintenance, can lead to sudden loss of braking effectiveness — a factor repeatedly cited in similar heavy‑vehicle crashes across Nigeria’s major highways. They argue that rigorous enforcement of vehicle inspection standards and regular compliance checks by traffic authorities are essential to reducing preventable road deaths and serious injuries.
Families of victims involved in such crashes frequently express frustration at the limited accountability for commercial drivers who flee accident scenes. The inability to immediately detain or identify fleeing drivers often delays investigations and denies victims’ families swift answers and potential legal recourse. Local civil society groups and road safety advocates have renewed calls for tougher penalties and better enforcement mechanisms to deter hit‑and‑run incidents and protect vulnerable road users.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, which collaborates with state traffic agencies on crash response and investigations, has also urged motorists to exercise caution, especially when sharing the road with oversized vehicles carrying heavy loads. According to FRSC safety directives, maintaining adequate following distances, obeying speed limits, and ensuring that commercial vehicles meet stringent braking and load‑bearing standards can significantly reduce the likelihood of fatal road traffic accidents.
As of the latest update, investigations into the exact sequence of events leading to the crash are ongoing, and transport authorities have indicated that sanctions may be applied to any transport operator found to have violated safety regulations. Meanwhile, the wife of the deceased remains under critical care, and authorities are expected to provide further updates on her condition as medical teams continue treatment.
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