Two government owned large passengers carrier vehicles on Tuesday night collide leaving several numbers of the passengers and drivers of the Buses injured in Lagos State, Nigeria.

According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, “a head-on collision involving two BRT buses occurred within the BRT lane on Lagos Abeokuta Express Way, around Danco Filling Station. Wounded persons have been rushed to nearby medical facility for treatments. Effort aimed at clearing the scene has commenced. Our officers are present there doing the needful”.

LASTMA also posted a video of the scene of the accidents which showed all passengers and drivers of the vehicles have been evacuated.

It was gathered that the accident occurred  late-night on Tuesday with the collision involving two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses at the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos .

A news statement by the head of the public affairs unit, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor said investigations at the scene revealed that the BRT bus headed inward Iyana Ipaja in an attempt to avoid crushing a commercial motorcyclist with passengers plying the BRT corridor illegally, collided with another oncoming BRT bus.

According to Okunbor, no lives were lost as a result of the incident.

“However, passengers of both buses reportedly suffered various degrees of injuries and were all taken to the nearest hospital before the arrival of Agency’s Response Team,” he said.

He added that two tow trucks were activated to evacuate the accident BRT buses off the road.

On Friday, days before the recent accident, a BRT bus tumbled close to Iyana Ipaja area, also leaving many of the passengers injured.

A video posted online saw the bus turned completely sideway.

We learnt the fully loaded high-capacity bus (BRT) overturned on its side within the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway near Iyana-Ipaja.

The accident, which occurred earlier on Friday, resulted in 10 casualties, according to Punch Newspaper.

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority in a statement on Friday, said the accident occurred around 7:45am.

“A fully loaded high-capacity bus fell on its side inside the dedicated lane (BRT lane) with a record of 10 casualties (Victims), which they were taken care of.

Emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene to provide medical assistance and transport the victims to nearby healthcare facilities”, the authority said.

BRT buses had incident of being attacked by residents of Lagos State whom the government described as hoodlums.

Earlier in the month of August, 2024, media reports indicated that the Lagos State Government decried the recent trend of hoodlums attacking passengers and its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses, warning perpetrators to desist from the act.

Mr Idowu Oguntona, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), condemned the development in a statement signed by Mr Afolabi Olawale, its Public Affairs Officer and made available a week and some days ago.

Oguntona said “the trend of hoodlums attacking buses has become both alarming and unacceptable. The Lagos State Government will not stand by, idly and allow such acts of lawlessness and illicit acts to continue in the state,” 

Oguntona said the incident of attack on the company’s buses by hoodlums, who vandalised the bus and caused panic among the passengers was inhumane, intolerable, and totally unacceptable.

The bus, which was traveling from Mile 2 to Leventis, was approaching the Ore-Ofe bus stop on the Orile axis with 35 passengers on board when a large mob suddenly emerged and swarmed the bus.

The attackers assaulted passengers, stabbed them with sharp objects, and robbed them of their phones and other valuables,” he said.

The LBSL boss, according to Galaxy Television, reiterated government’s commitment in ensuring that those responsible for the heinous act are punished. These criminals, who cannot be true Lagosians but rather agents of anarchy, have no place in any decent society, he said. He assured Lagos residents that their safety remained LBSL’s top priority, adding that security agencies are actively pursuing perpetrators of the crime.

Oguntona issued a stern warning to anyone considering engaging in such despicable acts, adding that their actions would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

The Lagos State Government is committed to taking all necessary legal steps to protect residents and visitors. There is no need for fear, we assure all commuters of their safety while traveling on all public transportation platforms in Lagos State, the LBSL boss added.