Passenger dies after fleeing allegedly alcohol-impaired bus in Lagos

A passenger died after jumping from a moving commercial bus that later crashed into a median pole at Ogunlana Junction, inward Ojuelegba, in Lagos’s Surulere area, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said. The incident involved a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LND 130 XR. In a statement issued on Sunday, LASTMA director of public affairs and enlightenment Adebayo Taofiq said preliminary security reports indicated that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and had been driving recklessly before the crash.

According to the agency, motorists approaching from behind attempted to avoid the erratically driven vehicle. During the resulting confusion, a male passenger reportedly jumped from the bus in an apparent attempt to escape. He sustained serious injuries when he hit the ground and later died.

LASTMA personnel carrying out traffic surveillance along the Ojuelegba axis responded after seeing the crash. They secured the scene, introduced emergency traffic measures and removed the deceased passenger and the badly damaged vehicle from the carriageway, the agency said. Police officers from the Area C Police Division in Ojuelegba provided security at the location, while officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency evacuated the remains of the passenger.

The clearance operation was intended to prevent a further collision and restore the affected carriageway. LASTMA said the incident highlighted the dangers associated with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless motoring and the use of vehicles with mechanical defects. Its general manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged commercial and private motorists to inspect their vehicles before every journey, particularly the brakes, tyres and steering systems.

Bakare-Oki expressed condolences to the passenger’s family and reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to accident response, traffic management and prompt removal of obstructions. The agency asked the public to report accidents, breakdowns and other traffic incidents through its toll-free short code, 3367.