Two people died and several others were injured in a multiple-vehicle collision at Soka junction on the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway on Saturday night. The accident occurred at approximately 22:10 hours when a white HOWO truck with registration number Gombe GEM696XE, driven by Abdullahi Bashiru, lost control due to alleged reckless driving and excessive speed. The truck ploughed into multiple vehicles, including a Toyota Venza and a BMW, damaging them extensively, while also striking pedestrians.
DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, Public Relations Officer for the Oyo State Police Command, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan. He said Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a swift recovery for the injured. The police have launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Motorists were urged to comply with traffic regulations, avoid speeding, and remain vigilant to prevent further tragedies.
A single truck driver's actions led to death and destruction on one of Nigeria's busiest highways, exposing how fragile road safety is when basic rules are ignored. Abdullahi Bashiru's alleged speeding and recklessness directly resulted in fatalities at Soka junction, a known high-risk corridor. This incident underscores how individual accountability, not just infrastructure, determines survival on Nigerian roads. For commuters, it means that every trip carries avoidable risk when enforcement remains reactive rather than consistent.
