Six injured as LAGBUS crushes bus

At least six people sustained varying degrees of injuries at the Ebute Ero area of Lagos Island on Monday after a LAGBUS crushed a commercial bus.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the LAGBUS, with registration number Lagos KSF76XA, was fully loaded with passengers and was heading towards Tafawa Balewa Square when the incident occurred.

According to an eyewitness’ accounts, the LAGBUS dropped a passenger at an undesignated bus stop and attempted to join the expressway when it hit the green bus with registration number Ogun XC595JGB.

A trader under the bridge, who declined to give her name, said the bus was attempting to overtake when the LAGBUS driver swerved abruptly in its direction.

She said, “Around 7:30am, a passenger alighted from the LAGBUS adjacent to Ebute Ero Police Station. LAGBUS drivers are fond of dropping off passengers there even though it is illegal.

“The commercial bus was speeding behind the LAGBUS and was attempting to overtake it when it was hit. The LAGBUS rammed the vehicle into the railings, almost plunging it into the lagoon.”

Our correspondent learnt that a team of policemen, led by Mr. Sani Saka, immediately rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims from the commercial bus.

The victims, it was learnt, were immediately rushed down to General Hospital, Broad Street.

A trader, Martin Adelabu, said the green bus was heading for Lagos Island from Abeokuta. He said most of the victims had broken legs.

 “The victims are very lucky that the accident occurred adjacent to a police station, if not, they might not have survived. I was told that they left Abeokuta this morning and were heading towards Lagos Island,” he said.

The General Manager, Lagos Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Femi Oke-Osayintolu, confirmed that there was an incident involving a LAGBUS but denied that it fell in to the lagoon. Oke-Osayintolu urged members of the public to abstain from sending false emergency messages.

“We were told there was an accident on Third Mainland Bridge and we rushed down to the scene but we did not see anything. Members of the public should please refrain from sending out false messages so that we can serve you better,” he said.

The LAGBUS, it was learnt, had been taken away by state officials while the LAGBUS driver was in police detention.

Punch