Man Killed, Wife Critically Injured As Over-speeding Truck Rams Into Car Along Lekki-Ajah Expressway

A man has died while his wife sustained critical injuries after an articulated truck laden with granite crushed their car at Eleko Junction along the Lekki–Ajah Expressway.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the fatal crash occurred in the early hours of the day.

According to Taofiq, preliminary investigations revealed that the truck, which was travelling at high speed from the Epe axis towards Eleko Junction, suffered brake failure, causing the driver to lose control.

He said the truck veered off its lane and rammed into a Toyota saloon car heading from Ajah towards Epe, before toppling onto the smaller vehicle.

“The mechanical failure precipitated an abrupt loss of vehicular control, causing the truck to stray from its designated path and collide forcefully with a Toyota saloon car travelling from Ajah inward Epe,” Taofiq said.

He added that the impact crushed the car beneath the truck’s weight, trapping the driver inside the wreckage.

“LASTMA officials, in collaboration with operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps and bystanders, rescued the victims from the mangled vehicle. However, the husband was pronounced dead at the scene.

“His wife, who was seated in the front passenger seat, sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention,” he added.

Taofiq noted that the remains of the deceased and the injured woman were evacuated by the Federal Road Safety Corps ambulance team for medical and mortuary procedures.

He further disclosed that the truck driver fled the scene shortly after the crash.

“In a most condemnable abdication of responsibility, the driver of the articulated truck absconded immediately after the incident,” the statement said.

Reacting, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as a distressing and preventable tragedy, while commiserating with the bereaved family and wishing the injured woman a speedy recovery.

Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing traffic regulations, particularly against reckless driving and poor vehicle maintenance.

 

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How A Food Vendor Was Electrocuted To Death In Unilag

A male food vendor, identified simply as Lekan, died on Sunday morning at the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Idi-Araba campus.

It was gathered from eyewitnesses that the vendor was electrocuted at a water point within the campus premises.

The incident reportedly occurred in the morning at the South Side of the Idi-Araba campus when Lekan allegedly went to dispose of waste and stopped to wash his hands.

A student, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the incident, said the deceased was elect rocuted after holding a metal railing near a tap.

The Secretary-General of the UNILAG Students’ Union Government, Joshua Saanumi, also confirmed the incident.

He said, “From the report we got, he wanted to dispose of waste. After that, he went to wash his hands at a tap. When he finished washing, he wanted to turn off the tap and held a railing close to it. That was how he got electrocuted,” said the insider.

According to the source, the student was alone at the scene when the incident occurred and only got help after a security operative noticed the situation and raised the alarm.

“He was alone there. It was a security man who noticed something was wrong and started shouting, which attracted people to the scene. By the time I got there, people were already trying to help him,” the source stated.

He disclosed that the incident happened around 10 a.m., adding that efforts were immediately made to revive the victim before he was rushed to the school’s medical facility.

“I got there past 10 a.m. Some of us performed CPR on him for about 10 minutes. He regained consciousness briefly and was rushed to the Accident and Emergency unit inside the school,” he explained.

He, however, noted that the student later died at the hospital.

“He was not confirmed dead at the spot. He died later at the A&E inside the school,” he added.

The operatives of the state police command, according to the insider, were notified and arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

“The police came to the location where it happened. From there, we all went to where the body was and later returned to the scene. Engineers were also around to assess the situation,” the source stated.

He added that preliminary findings did not immediately indicate a faulty railing, noting that students and security personnel regularly used the area without prior incidents.

“Even a security man said he washed clothes there earlier that morning. The place was still wet, showing that people used it regularly. So, at the moment, it’s difficult to conclude that the railing was faulty,” he said.

On the response of the school authorities, the source said several officials were present, including security heads and engineers, although the provost could not be reached at the time.

“We called the provost, but he didn’t pick up. However, the chief security officer, engineers, and the chairman in charge of the complex were all around,” he stated.

In a statement signed by the Head of the Communication Unit, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, the varsity confirmed the fatal incident.

The statement read, “The University of Lagos Management regrets to confirm a fatal electrocution incident at the College of Medicine, Idi-Araba campus.

“The tragic incident involved a sales assistant of a food vendor within a commercial outlet at the CMUL premises.

“The University is deeply saddened by this unfortunate development and extends its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and associates of the deceased.

“We urge members of the University community and the general public to refrain from speculations on the incident, which is currently under investigation by the appropriate authorities.

“Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of all members of the University community remain our highest priority.”

 

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Lagos Taskforce Arrest Two Omotaku Urchins

OPERATIVES of the Lagos State Taskforce have arrested two suspected street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, along the Oshodi–Agunlejika–Apapa Expressway for allegedly extorting motorists.

The suspects, AbiodunAjasa, 44, of No. 18 Jimoh Meji Street, off Agunlejika Street, and JunaidFolami of No. 12 Agunlejika Street, Itire-Ikate, were alleged to have targeted motorists whose vehicles developed mechanical faults, demanding money before allowing them to continue their journey.

Their arrest followed a tip-off from a civil society group, ICU – To Save A Soul. Acting on the intelligence, taskforce operatives apprehended the duo while they were allegedly attempting to extort a motorist. The suspects initially claimed to be a bystander and a revenue collector, respectively, but investigations later linked them to a group accused of illegal revenue collection activities.

Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP AdetayoAkerele, said the suspects had been on the agency’s watchlist following numerous public complaints about a syndicate allegedly involved in unlawfully arresting motorists and negotiating financial settlements for the release of their vehicles.

“I receive numerous calls and online complaints from residents who report that these individuals operate deceptively and appear legitimate, making them difficult to apprehend,” he said.

During interrogation, Ajasa reportedly confessed that their targets were vehicles transporting goods from Apapa Port that broke down along the expressway. He said they approached such motorists under the guise of revenue collectors, claiming to protect them from rival groups, before threatening vehicle impoundment unless certain sums were paid.

The second suspect was said to have admitted that his role involved preventing drivers from accessing their vehicles in order to create fear and compel them into negotiations.

Akerele assured the public that the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the law, urging residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to security agencies for prompt action.

 

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Army Arrest Fake Major General In Lagos

The Nigerian Army has arrested one Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf for allegedly impersonating a retired Major General and misleading the public while abusing the prestige of the military institution.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was never commissioned into the Nigerian Army at any time, nor did he attain the rank of General or retire from the service in any capacity.

According to Anele, further findings showed that Abdul Rauf also falsely claimed to have attended the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, and fraudulently asserted that he was a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

“All these claims have been conclusively confirmed to be entirely false and fabricated,” she said, adding that no retired Army General bears the name Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf.

The Army spokesperson disclosed that the impostor consistently exploited the false credentials to intimidate unsuspecting members of the public, including during court proceedings where he presented himself as a retired senior military officer to command undue respect, sympathy and influence.

She added that during interrogation, media reports published in two nationally recognised newspapers were recovered, in which Abdul Rauf was repeatedly described as a “retired Major General.”

“These misrepresentations, now established to be false, further demonstrate the extent to which the individual sustained his deception within the public space,” Anele said.

According to her, one of the publications identified the suspect as “Major General Abdul Rauf Tijjani (rtd)” in a suit instituted against the Lagos State Government and other respondents, in which he sought ₦8 billion in damages. Another report, dated November 9, 2020, similarly referred to him as a “retired Major General” while reporting his appeal against the dismissal of the same suit, which the court had earlier described as a gross abuse of court process and incompetent in law.

“The Nigerian Army categorically states that no retired officer of the Nigerian Army bears the name Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, nor has any officer with such identity ever held the rank of Major General or above within the service,” she said.

Anele strongly condemned the act of impersonation, describing it as a grave offence that undermines public trust and tarnishes the honour and integrity of officers who have genuinely served the nation with distinction.

She reiterated the Army’s commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of its ranks, honours and institutions, adding that it will continue to collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure that impostors and fraudsters are brought to justice.

“The Nigerian Army remains steadfast in upholding professionalism, integrity and accountability in the defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said

 

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Tension In Lagos APC: Over 200 Days After Swearing-In, Chairmen Still Operate Without Supervisory Councilors, Aides

On July 27, 2025, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, sworn in the newly elected chairmen and councillors across Lagos State’s 20 local councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) following the July 12, 2025 elections. But many local councils in the state, if not virtually all, have no full executive committees to run the affairs of the councils, a critical component of grassroots governance.

Despite the democratic mandate conferred on July 27 2025, when they were sworn-in although with the subsequent directives by state leadership that council chairmen should not make any appointments except that of Chief of Staff, the delay in constituting executive council members, including supervisory councilors and secretaries, many stakeholders claimed, has stalled decision-making and service delivery at the local level, raising concerns about governance effectiveness and accountability in Africa’s largest urban state.

Some analysts argued that the councils not having supervisory councilors for environment contributed to the dirt that has taken over different parts of Lagos.

Worthy to mention is that the Local Government Administration Law 2025 provided for an Executive Committee for each local council in the state. The law stated that the executive committee for each of the council shall comprise the chairman, vice chairman, supervisors, special advisers, Secretary to the Local Government, council manager, council treasurer, and the Head of Legal Unit.

Section 6 of the law stipulated that any appointment, not recognised by the guidelines, local council bye-laws, or other relevant laws shall require the express approval of the Governor of Lagos State.

However, some stakeholders argued that the council chairmen have not made appointments based on directives. They alluded to the instruction the council chairmen got on the day they were sworn in. Speaking at the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu instructed the new chairmen and vice chairmen not to appoint secretaries to the local council, aides, or supervisor councillors until they get approval from the state government.

He, however, said that the chairmen could appoint a Chief of Staff to enable them hit the ground running as they assume office. And truly, many of council chairmen have only appointed Chief of Staff in compliance with the directive.

Commenting, a resident, John Adigun, said that it is a misnomer for a critical unit in governance delivery in any state would be left incapacitated without having the appropriate man power to drive its activities, especially in terms of policy formulation and execution.

“And this is happening when local councils are getting more money to execute programmes and projects. This is because the statistics from federal allocation to state and local council has doubled if not more than doubled. So, I hope whatever is the stumbling block will be removed for smooth and effective administration at the grassroots.”

However, a party man, who pleaded to be anonymous, disclosed that tension within the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state and 2027 interests are major factors why the council chairmen have not fully formed their executive committee by appointing aides, supervisors and secretary to the council.

According to him, the emergence of the elected council chairmen polarized the party greatly because of the allegations that some of the chairmen and councilors were imposed on party members and leaders. He said it was what informed why the governor instructed that the council chairmen not to make any appointments yet because the plan was to use the appointments to douse the tension and placate the leaders and aspirants that felt aggrieved.

He, however, said that the effort to ensure that the appointments do not lead to further polirisation of the party is why the list is still being compiled. He revealed that the Justice Forum and Mandate Group contest also contributed to the delay revealing that in the build up to 2027 elections, the two groups believed that to have an upper hand in case the party does not align with consensus candidates, the group in charge of majority in the council appointments will have the upper hand. He said that is also pushing a lot of pressure within the party.

He further said that in some cases, the infighting within the two major groups also contributes to the delay, mentioning that in Mushin Local Council, there is a contest among the Mandate Group on who should present the appointees zoned to them as there are two factions of Mandate Group.

 

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Our Lagos Office Is Open And Operational - NAFDAC

THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has addressed the reports circulating in the media, particularly a story alleging that protesters have “shut down” NAFDAC’s Lagos office.

The demonstration was reportedly linked to the agency’s recent strict enforcement of regulations banning the sale and consumption of alcohol in sachets and glass bottles of 200ml or less. Despite objections from parts of the manufacturing sector and labour unions, NAFDAC has maintained its position.

The management, in a press statement, categorically stated that this report is “false and misleading.” It noted that the protest, which occurred outside the NAFDAC premises, did not disrupt operations in any way.

It said: “Our offices remain fully open, and all staff are carrying out their duties without interruption. Normal activities are ongoing, and there has been no shutdown of any kind.” It however, said NAFDAC remains fully committed to its mandate of safeguarding public health and will continue to enforce all regulatory measures, including the ban on sachet alcohol.

 

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How Female Pedestrian Was Crushed To Death By A Hit-And-Run Driver At Igando

A female pedestrian and worshipper of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Church was crushed to death by a lone vehicle at the NYSC Bus Stop, inward Igando, Lagos, according to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

LASTMA, in a statement , said the victim was on her way to church when she was struck by a Mercedes Benz C300 driven by an unidentified motorist who later fled the scene.

The agency said the deceased was lawfully using the pedestrian corridor when the vehicle, under circumstances yet to be ascertained, veered off course and rammed into her, killing her instantly.

Operatives of LASTMA, who received distress alerts shortly after the incident, were said to have cordoned off the area to prevent secondary crashes and regulate traffic within the corridor.

The statement added that the driver of the vehicle absconded immediately after realising the fatal outcome of the collision, an act described as a serious violation of traffic laws and civic responsibility.

The accident vehicle was later secured and evacuated from the road by LASTMA operatives in collaboration with officers of the Nigeria Police, Igando Division, to restore normal traffic flow.

It was gathered that the incident threw the MFM Church community into mourning after news of the tragedy filtered into the church during service, where the victim’s husband was worshipping. 

He, alongside other church members, reportedly proceeded to the scene and conveyed her remains.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police have commenced investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the crash and track down the fleeing driver for possible prosecution.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare Oki, expressed condolences to the bereaved family and the MFM Church community, urging motorists to obey speed limits and respect the rights of pedestrians.

 

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