In the early hours of Sunday, what should have been a routine journey from Lagos to Badagry turned into a bloodbath.
At MTN Bus Stop, near Elijah axis of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, a commercial 18-seater bus slammed into a stationary trailer. By the time the smoke cleared, at least eight lives were gone, including the bus driver and conductor. More bodies were seen in a heartbreaking video that has since gone viral.
But this wasn’t just a case of reckless driving or mechanical failure. According to multiple eyewitnesses, this tragedy was born out of greed.
“See what soldiers caused because they wanted to collect money… Because of ₦1,000, see dead bodies early in the morning,” a witness lamented in Yoruba, standing in front of lifeless bodies sprawled across the road. “These are people on their way to hustle for their daily bread.”
The trailer, they say, had been stopped by soldiers allegedly collecting bribes at a checkpoint—an all-too-common sight on this heavily policed expressway. And in the dim pre-dawn light, the oncoming bus didn’t stand a chance.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed the deaths of eight passengers on the spot, though eyewitnesses claimed more perished. The haunting footage paints a more gruesome picture.
For locals and frequent commuters, this was not just an accident. It was the predictable result of years of unchecked extortion and over-policing on the Badagry Expressway.
“There are too many roadblocks on this road, down to Owode Apa border,” said one commuter, visibly angry. “From Mile 2 to Owode, this place has the highest number of checkpoints in West Africa. It’s like we’re living in a war zone—but there’s no war, only poverty and extortion.”
Beyond the checkpoints, residents also lament a total blackout in the area since the COVID-19 lockdowns—no electricity for over five years. Life in these communities is already a daily struggle. Now, even the roads they rely on to seek survival have become death traps, manned by those who are supposed to protect.
“What are these checkpoints even preventing?” one resident asked. “It’s not stopping smugglers. It’s not stopping crime. All it does is enrich corrupt officers and steal lives like this one.”
The Nigerian Army has remained silent. Lt. Col. Onyinyechi Anele, the Army spokesperson, could not be reached for comment. But for the grieving families, for the mothers, siblings, and friends left behind, silence is not enough.
Anger is building. Pain is spreading. And in the hearts of the people on Lagos-Badagry Road, a single question burns:
