Angry mob set Hilux ablaze as driver crushes three to death on Lagos-Ibadan highway

On Friday night, a mob reportedly ignited a Hilux Toyota vehicle after allegedly causing the death of three individuals near Kara-OPIC bus stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The white Toyota Hilux, bearing the registration plate EPE80J, purportedly experienced brake failure, leading to a loss of control that resulted in the vehicle colliding with bystanders at the bus stop. This tragic incident claimed the lives of three people and left two others injured.

Florence Okpe, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, shared this information in a statement released to journalists on Saturday. The injured victims were transported to the Lagos Emergency Centre in Ojota for medical attention.

Alleged relatives of two of the deceased, present at the Kara market, reportedly claimed the bodies for burial, while the third body was deposited at the Idera Morgue in Sagamu.

According to the statement, the crash occurred around 20:51hrs at Kara-OPIC bus stop, involving six individuals—five males and one female. Two males sustained injuries, while three male adults lost their lives. The incident involved a white Toyota Hilux with the registration number EPE80J. Brake failure was identified as the cause of the crash, leading to the vehicle losing control and colliding with people at the bus stop. Subsequently, the angry crowd set the vehicle ablaze due to the fatalities.

In a separate report by PUNCH Metro, this marks the third fatal accident on the same route within the week. On Thursday, five individuals died, and four others sustained injuries near Fidiwo Bridge, close to Ogunmakin along the expressway. The accident, which occurred around 14:48hrs, involved a red prime bus with the number plate MUS191HA and a golden Toyota Camry with the registration AKD754BG. Additionally, on Wednesday, a crash near NASFAT involving two trucks and a bus resulted in five deaths and 10 injuries. Reckless driving by one of the truck drivers, who executed a sudden U-turn without signaling, was cited as the cause of the fatal collision between the truck and another bus.