The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has said that a drunk driver who lost control of his vehicle over the weekend injured a couple and other passengers at the Alausa corridor in the Ikeja area of the state.
The fully occupied painted commercial bus, with registration number KTU 69 YJ, rammed into a streetlight pole and was badly damaged in the crash.
This was disclosed on Sunday in a statement by LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, who said preliminary investigations revealed that the driver was heavily drunk and unable to control the vehicle properly because of how much alcohol he had consumed.
Taofiq said the crash was very serious and caused a lot of panic among people around.
He stated that many passengers were badly injured, especially a couple who were sitting in the middle row of the bus, but they were rescued by the traffic management operatives.
Taofiq added,” Thanks to the rapid and professionally coordinated intervention of LASTMA operatives stationed nearby, four severely injured individuals, including the aforementioned couple, along with one male and one female passenger were swiftly extricated from the wreckage, administered emergency care, and stabilised on-site.
“They were subsequently transferred to the Lagos State Ambulance Service, who conveyed them to the Trauma and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate for specialised medical attention.
“Fortunately, the remaining passengers sustained no serious injuries.”
The LASTMA PRO said that throughout the rescue operation, officers of the Alausa Division of the Nigeria Police Force maintained a secured perimeter, ensuring the safety of responders and the preservation of the accident scene.
In the statement, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, also condemned drunk driving, reaffirmed surveillance efforts, and expressed sympathy and wishes for the victims’ quick recovery.