Eight Dead, Including Police Inspector, As Multiple Truck Crash Triggers Fireball and Gridlock on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

A horrific night of carnage on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has left at least eight people dead, including a dedicated Police Inspector, following a multiple-vehicle crash involving five articulated trucks at the Kara Bridge area, inward Mowe.

The tragic incident, which occurred late on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, and spilled into the early hours of Thursday, saw a devastating chain reaction involving heavy-duty trucks and container-laden trailers. The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the disaster involved two trucks that collided and burst into flames, while another container truck crashed into the bridge barrier, sending its carrier tumbling into the river below and completely blocking the entire road.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, who confirmed the casualties while visiting the scene, noted that preliminary investigations suggest the crash was caused by a trailer that suffered brake failure.

“It’s very unfortunate that we lost one of our police inspectors who came with our advance team to salvage the situation,” Ishola lamented, confirming the death of the officer who was responding to the initial accident.

LASTMA confirmed the total death toll at eight, and rescue operations involving the police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other emergency first responders have since been battling the wreckage. The severity of the crash, including the fire outbreak and the fallen container, caused an immediate and massive traffic gridlock that stretched for several kilometers on the busy highway.

Authorities have cautioned motorists, particularly the drivers of articulated vehicles, against recklessness and poor vehicle maintenance, which are frequently cited as the main causes of fatal crashes along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor.