Lagos, Nigeria – Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning when a truck reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into the busy Isheri Market near the OPIC bus stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. One person has been confirmed dead, while several others were injured and properties destroyed in the crash.
According to eyewitnesses, the truck was approaching the OPIC area when the driver lost control due to brake failure. A motorcyclist at the scene recounted, “There was no traffic on the expressway. The truck lost its brakes while trying to enter the estate and crashed straight into the market, killing one person.”
The vehicle, in an attempt to avoid the estate gate, swerved to the right and plowed through market stalls, injuring unsuspecting vendors and customers. The lone fatality was identified as a local tea vendor who was attending to customers at the time of the crash.
A night security guard at the market, who was among the injured, shared his experience:
“I had just called the tea seller to give me tea. I had only tasted it once when I heard a loud noise. The truck pushed me and I fell. It’s God that saved me — the tea vendor wasn’t so lucky.”
Although the exact number of injuries has not been confirmed, witnesses say the casualties could have been worse. Two parked vehicles — a van and a Sienna — were credited with slowing the truck’s momentum, possibly saving more lives.
Emergency responders and local authorities are currently on the scene, working to clear the wreckage and assess the full extent of the damage. The truck driver has been arrested and is in custody at the Isheri Tactical Unit pending further investigation.
