January 01, (THEWILL) — A tragic New Year’s Day auto crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has claimed the lives of eight people, including two toddlers. The accident occurred on Thursday, January 1, 2026, near the Nasfat turning point in Ogun State.
The collision involved an 18-seater Mazda bus with registration number APP 943 XP and a yellow Volvo truck with registration number AKM 547 YQ. Eleven other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries in the crash.
The Spokesperson for the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Abeokuta. According to Akinbiyi, a total of 21 passengers were involved in the disaster.
Among the injured were five males, four females, and two female toddlers, while the deceased comprised four males, two females, and two female toddlers.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was caused by excessive speed on the part of the Mazda bus driver.
The bus reportedly rammed into the truck, which was laden with empty bottles, while the truck driver was attempting to make a U-turn toward the Ibadan-bound lane.
Operatives from TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Police Force arrived at the scene promptly for rescue operations.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the Idera Hospital Morgue in Sagamu.
The injured victims were rushed to various facilities for emergency treatment; four were taken to the State Hospital in Abeokuta, while the remaining seven are receiving care at FAMOBIS Hospital.
Akinbiyi confirmed that the wreckage of both vehicles has been towed to the RCCG Divisional Police Station.
While the accident initially caused a significant gridlock, traffic has since been cleared by the combined efforts of the three security agencies on the ground.
Seun Shotunde, THEWILL
