A truck driver has been apprehended following a fatal accident that claimed the life of a cyclist beneath the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Bridge in Ikeja.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Monday by its Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, signed by Adebayo Taofiq.

According to LASTMA, the accident occurred at the traffic signal corridor inward Airport Road, Ikeja, and involved a DAF articulated truck and a cyclist.

Preliminary findings revealed that both the cyclist and the truck, which was advancing from the Maryland axis, attempted to negotiate the roundabout beneath the bridge at the same time.

In the process, the cyclist reportedly failed to maintain a safe distance from the truck, resulting in a collision.

“The situation escalated disastrously, resulting in the cyclist being violently crushed and succumbing to fatal injuries on the spot,” the statement said.

LASTMA operatives who were on duty at the location reportedly responded promptly to the incident and intercepted the truck driver, who allegedly attempted to flee the scene.

“Their prompt and decisive action culminated in the immediate apprehension of the truck driver, who had attempted to abscond from the scene to evade culpability,” LASTMA stated, adding that the suspect was handed over to officers of the Ikeja Police Division for investigation and prosecution.

To prevent further accidents and ease traffic flow, officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SHEMU) were invited to evacuate the remains of the deceased from the road.

Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, expressed deep sorrow over the loss and extended condolences to the victim’s family.

“He offered prayers that Almighty God grants the family the fortitude, resilience and divine comfort required to endure the profound grief occasioned by the tragedy,” the statement noted.

Giwa also used the opportunity to caution cyclists and commercial motorbike riders to prioritise safety while using the state’s roads, warning against riding on expressways and major arterial routes.

According to him, “The Lagos State Government has over time, sustained intensive sensitisation initiatives through public jingles and documentary campaigns aimed at enlightening cyclists and other vulnerable road users on the necessity of confining their movements to inner roads, away from highways and high-risk corridors. This safety directive equally applies to skateboard users and other non-motorised conveyances.”

LASTMA reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to road safety enforcement, public enlightenment and the protection of all road users, urging motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to obey traffic laws to prevent avoidable tragedies. (Channels)