There was anxiety in a part of Alausa, Lagos on Sunday after a fully loaded commercial bus driven by an an intoxicated man rammed into an electric pole.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said it had rescued a couple and others from the accident.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said this in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the lone vehicular crash involving a fully occupied, painted commercial bus (KTU 69 YJ), occurred in the Alausa corridor of Ikeja, Lagos.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver, grievously impaired by alcohol, lost vehicular control and violently rammed into a streetlight pole.
“The ferocity of the impact triggered widespread alarm and resulted in significant injuries to several passengers, notably a couple seated in the middle row.
“With the rapid and coordinated intervention of LASTMA operatives stationed nearby, four severely injured individuals—including the aforementioned couple, along with one male and female passenger—were swiftly extricated from the wreckage, administered emergency care, and stabilised on-site.
“They were subsequently transferred to the Lagos State Ambulance Service, which conveyed them to the Trauma and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate for specialised medical attention,” he said.
He said the remaining passengers sustained no serious injuries.
Bakare-Oki said officers of the Alausa Division of the Nigeria Police Force maintained a secured perimeter, ensuring the safety of responders and the preservation of the accident scene throughout the rescue operation.
He condemned the reckless endangerment caused by driving under the influence.
He, however, reaffirmed the authority’s unwavering resolve to combat alcohol-impaired driving through continuous advocacy and surveillance.
He noted that LASTMA’s Monitoring and Surveillance Unit remained actively engaged with drivers in motor parks across the state, reinforcing the agency’s signature campaign: “Don’t Drink and Drive.”
Bakare-Oki extended heartfelt sympathies to the injured passengers and conveyed his earnest wishes for their swift and complete recovery.
