By Akinwale Kasali
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu has declared a three-day mourning for victims of the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, and train collision which led to the death of, so far, eight people. Several others were injured in the early Thursday morning crash.
The BRT used as a Staff Bus was conveying workers of the Lagos State Government to the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, early Thursday morning when it collided with a train at the PWD Bus Stop.
85 State Government Workers were recorded to have boarded the Bus which came from Isolo around 7:30 am, heading to Alausa.
Two people died on the spot while six later died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
At the PWD rail crossing, the driver attempted to make a dangerous turning but was caught up with the coming train, which dragged it to another spot.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who visited the victims at the hospital, also announced the suspension of all political campaigns and ordered half-day work for state workers, starting from Friday beginning from 12pm, just as he equally ordered the flag to be flown at half-mast.
At the hospital, 42 were found to have suffered moderate injuries. The number of those with severe injuries was put at 29.
Sanwo-Olu thanked the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. AbdulAzeez Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor, and the candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Rhodes-Vivour for visiting the scene of the accident.
Also, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, suspended a political walk across Agege following the train accident.
The Speaker met the thousands of youth, men and women as they walked towards the Pen Cinema area of Agege on his way from an official engagement and abruptly stopped them.
Obasa described the train accident as a sad occurrence just as he sympathised with the families of the victims.
The Speaker thanked the various groups for their support, while asking them to return home in honour of those affected by the accident.
“I want to thank you all for coming out because of me. You have planned this walk since over three weeks and I understand.
“However, there was a sad incident today. A train collided with a bus conveying government staff and I learnt that casualties were recorded.
“You can imagine people who left their homes to go to work only to experience such terrible accident.
“As a result of this, I want to urge us all to return to our homes for the sake of the victims. Nobody prays to experience such. So I understand the feelings of the victims’ loved ones at this moment.
“I commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives and support Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as his administration commences a probe of the incident.
“I also urge us all to pray for the bereaved families and the injured as you all return home,” Obasa told the crowd.
