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A yet-to-be-identified motorist suspected to have been driving under the influence of alcohol has lost his life late Saturday night in a lone accident near the Alaka Under Bridge, Surulere, Lagos.
The incident, which occurred around 11:45 pm., involved a Navy Blue Toyota Camry with registration number EKY 311 GK, reportedly heading towards Iponri when the driver lost control of the vehicle at high speed. The car somersaulted several times before crashing, killing the driver on the spot.
Officers of the newly inaugurated Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) 24-hour Night Operations Squad, who were on patrol within the Surulere corridor, arrived swiftly at the scene. They cordoned off the area to prevent further incidents and promptly alerted operatives of the Bode Thomas Police Division.
According to LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased was intoxicated, which impaired his ability to control the vehicle. “Eyewitness accounts and evidence from the scene confirmed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol before the crash,” he said.
Police officers at the scene conducted full documentation of the incident before releasing the body of the deceased to his wife and relatives, who were contacted through his mobile phone recovered from the wreckage.
Reacting to the tragedy, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the bereaved family, describing the incident as “a tragic yet sobering reminder of the fatal consequences of drunk driving.”
Bakare-Oki urged motorists to exercise caution and adhere strictly to traffic regulations, particularly during the Ember Months, a period often associated with increased road traffic and accident rates.
He noted that the agency had recently reaffirmed its commitment to tackling drunk driving during its ‘Ember Months Stakeholders’ Forum’, themed “Safe Roads, Safe Lives… LASTMA Cares.” The forum, he said, emphasized the need for enhanced enforcement, public enlightenment, and collaboration among traffic management and emergency response agencies.
The LASTMA boss reiterated that the agency’s new 24-hour operational structure was designed not only for enforcement but also for rapid emergency intervention to safeguard lives across Lagos State.
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