What We Learnt About The Lagos Train/Bus Collision – NRC MD

By Gloria Ikibah

The Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, has given an account of the brief he got on the accident involving a train and bus earlier in Lagos on Thursday.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that the NRC train was involved in an accident with a Lagos State Government staff bus on the rail track in Sogunle area of Lagos.

Two bodies have so far been recovered from the scene, while 4 died out of the 84 injured, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

Okhiria said: “According to the information I gathered at the scene of the incident, they said many cars stopped when they got to the level crossing while the Lagos State Staff Bus driver continued moving, which I don't know why.

”Maybe the driver thought he could pass before the train got nearer to him. He could not pass, then the train crushed the bus; that is what we gathered.
“The train was coming from Ijoko to Iddo”.

He urged Lagos drivers to be more careful when passing through the level crossing, to avoid train accidents.

The Managing Director, who was concerned about the lives of the Lagos State staff, appealed to motorists to consider the level crossing at all times.

Okhiria said that when motorists get to the level crossing, they should not ignore the point where they should stop.

The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Taofiq, Adebayo, had said in a statement that a Lagos State Government staff bus was crushed by a moving train at PWD, Ikeja.

Adebayo said that the staff bus was with registration no 04A- 48LA, and the enforcement officers of LASTMA were the first emergency responders at the scene of the accident.

He disclosed they had called other emergency responders to join in the rescue.

According to him, the accident recorded some casualties as the staff bus was fully loaded with govt staff going to office in the morning.