In the late hours of Saturday, October 25, 2025, precisely at 11:45 p.m., officers of the newly inaugurated Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) 24-hour Night Operations Squad, covering the Surulere axis, responded with commendable promptness to a tragic lone crash that resulted in the instantaneous death of a motorist reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Navy Blue Toyota Camry, with registration number EKY 311 GK, was travelling at an excessively high velocity inward Iponri, when the driver lost control of the vehicle near the Alaka Under Bridge in Surulere. The vehicle somersaulted repeatedly, culminating in a fatal impact that claimed the driver’s life at the scene.
Eyewitnesses and forensic evidence gathered at the site corroborated reports that the deceased was intoxicated, a condition that severely impaired his judgment and reaction time, leading to the catastrophic loss of control.
Members of the LASTMA 24 hours Night Duty Patrol Team, who were actively monitoring vehicular movement within the Surulere corridor at midnight, arrived expeditiously at the crash site, secured and cordoned off the affected area to prevent secondary incidents, and immediately alerted officers from the Bode Thomas Police Division.
The Police, upon arrival, conducted comprehensive documentation of the incident and subsequently released the remains of the deceased to his wife and family members, who were contacted through the deceased mobile device retrieved from the wreckage.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved family, describing the incident as “a tragic yet sobering reminder of the fatal consequences of intoxicated driving.”
He urged all motorists to remain vigilant, responsible, and safety-conscious, especially during the Ember Months, a period historically characterized by increased road traffic and elevated crash risks.
Mr. Bakare-Oki further reiterated that one of the central resolutions of the recently concluded ‘LASTMA Ember Months Stakeholders’ Forum’ was the intensified crusade against drunk driving, a societal menace that continues to exert a heavy toll on human lives within and beyond Lagos State.
He recalled that the forum’s theme, “Safe Roads, Safe Lives… LASTMA Cares,” was purposefully crafted to amplify LASTMA’s renewed commitment to the sanctity of life through enhanced enforcement, sustained public enlightenment, and strategic inter-agency collaboration.
The General Manager implored all road users to eschew reckless indulgence, exercise self-discipline, and strictly observe traffic regulations, stressing that the 24-hour operational framework of LASTMA is not only geared toward enforcement but also toward rapid emergency intervention and the preservation of lives across Lagos State’s extensive road network.
