A dispatch rider lost his life on Thursday after being crushed by a moving train along the PWD Railway Level Crossing in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The incident was confirmed in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, who said it occurred in the early hours of the day.
According to Taofiq, the rider, who was operating a motorcycle with the number plate AGL 179 QR, died instantly after being hit by the train while attempting to cross the railway line.
“Preliminary investigations conducted by security personnel at the scene revealed that the dispatch rider, reportedly travelling at excessive speed, attempted to hastily manoeuvre across the railway track in a bid to access the GRA area of Ikeja. In the process, he collided with an oncoming train. The impact proved fatal, as the rider died instantly, while the train continued its movement along the track,” Taofiq said.
He added that the body of the deceased was handed over to health officers from the state emergency unit for onward action.
“As the first responders, LASTMA personnel promptly cordoned off the scene of the incident to prevent secondary mishaps and ensure the free flow of vehicular movement within the area, with support from security personnel from the Shogunle Police Division. The State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit was immediately contacted and arrived at the scene to evacuate the remains of the deceased for appropriate action,” he added.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, through Taofiq, condoled with the family of the deceased and urged road users to always obey traffic rules, especially at railway crossings.
He emphasised the importance of strict compliance with all traffic signals and government-installed warning signs, noting that adherence could help prevent avoidable road tragedies.
“The General Manager further reaffirmed LASTMA’s unwavering commitment to continuous public enlightenment, proactive enforcement, and safety advocacy in its mission to ensure sanity, discipline, and orderliness across the Lagos metropolis,” Taofiq stated.
Train-related accidents have been recurrent in Lagos, raising concerns about safety around rail tracks and crossings. In September 2018, a train crushed a police inspector and a motorcyclist at the same PWD bus stop after they attempted to beat the train. Similarly, in August 2024, an unidentified man was killed by a moving train in the Mushin area while walking along the Cappa railway tracks.
In 2023, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) called for the installation of functional level-crossing gates and signal systems to prevent such incidents.