Man dies after jumping off moving bus in Lagos

A man has died after jumping from a moving commercial bus that crashed into a median pole at Ogunlana Junction, heading towards Ojuelegba, in Surulere, Lagos.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority shared this in a statement on Sunday. The statement was from Adebayo Taofiq, the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department.

The incident involved a commercial Volkswagen bus with the registration number LND 130 XR. It was reported that the bus hit a median pole at Ogunlana Junction, near the Fallout area of Surulere.

Initial reports from security officials showed that the bus driver was likely drunk and had been driving dangerously before the crash.

“Drivers coming from behind were said to have been very careful to avoid crashing into the bus that was being driven erratically.

“In the chaos, a male passenger, who seemed to want to escape from the moving bus, jumped out and got seriously hurt when he hit the ground.

“Sadly, the passenger later died from the injuries he got in the crash. LASTMA officers, who were monitoring traffic along the Ojuelegba route, quickly arrived at the scene after seeing the crash,” the statement said.

The officers set up emergency traffic measures, secured the area, and removed the deceased passenger and the badly damaged bus from the road. This action helped to prevent a possible second crash.

Police from the Area C Division in Ojuelegba provided security at the scene. Officials from the State Emergency Management Agency took the body of the deceased passenger away.

LASTMA said this incident shows the serious dangers of driving while drunk, reckless driving, and using faulty vehicles on public roads.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged all drivers, both commercial and private, to check their vehicles thoroughly before any trip. He emphasized the importance of checking brakes, tyres, steering, and other essential safety parts.

While expressing sympathy to the family of the deceased passenger, Bakare-Oki assured that the agency is dedicated to quick responses to incidents, effective traffic management, fast accident scene clearance, and protecting lives on Lagos roads.

He encouraged the public to report traffic issues, accidents, vehicle breakdowns, and other blockages to the agency through the LASTMA toll-free number, 3367.