Dispatch rider dies in Third Mainland Bridge crash

A yet-to-be-identified dispatch rider has been killed after ramming his motorcycle into a stationary truck at the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.

 PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim, who rode a Bajaj motorcycle, with number plate XR 190 LSR, was returning home from work around 7pm on Monday when tragedy struck.

Our correspondent was told that officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who cleared the wreckage, invited the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit to remove the remains of the deceased.

 A LASTMA official, who witnessed the accident and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased was speeding when the accident occurred.

He said, “The accident happened on Monday evening. A mini truck had broken down on the road after its tyre burst. The victim was riding at top speed when he rammed into the truck. He didn’t see the truck on time.

“His skull was broken; he died on the spot. We invited SEHMU to remove the corpse from the road and we towed the truck and the motorcycle to our yard.”

The corpse was said to have been deposited in a morgue.

 It was gathered that traffic officials from the Oworonshoki Police Division contacted the family on Tuesday to inform them of the incident.

Our correspondent was told that the victim worked as a dispatch rider at the Olowu Spare Parts Market, and was married with a child.

“He divorced his wife recently,” a source said.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident.

 She said, “The accident involved the rider of a motorcycle who rammed into a stationary DAF truck on the Third Mainland Bridge.

“The victim was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead. The corpse was deposited at the Lagos Mainland General Hospital Morgue, Yaba.”

The spokesperson for LASTMA, Mahmud Hassan, warned against speeding, saying the accident was preventable.

“The accident was preventable. Motorists must always be careful to forestall a recurrence,” he said.