Four people were critically injured after a fully loaded 40-foot container truck was involved in a multiple-vehicle crash at First Gate, inward Mile 2, Lagos, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said on Tuesday.

LASTMA said its operatives also apprehended the driver of the Mack truck following the crash, which involved another truck conveying a 20-foot container, a T4 commercial bus marked AAA 723 YF and nine commercial motorcyclists.

The agency disclosed this in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, and shared on X on Tuesday.

According to the statement, preliminary findings indicated that the crash was triggered by an apparent brake failure suffered by the Mack truck, causing the driver to lose braking control before the truck collided with the other vehicles and the motorcyclists.

The four injured victims, comprising three males and a female, reportedly sustained critical injuries, including multiple fractures to their arms and legs.

LASTMA said its personnel, who were conducting routine traffic management operations in the area, immediately responded to the crash and commenced rescue, traffic control and incident-management operations.

The agency said its officers successfully extricated the injured victims from the scene and handed them over to security personnel from the Roro Police Division, who took them to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment.

LASTMA personnel also secured the scene, managed the resulting traffic disruption and facilitated the removal of the damaged vehicles and other obstructions to restore traffic flow along the corridor.

The driver of the Mack truck and other drivers involved in the crash were handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution, subject to the outcome of the investigation, the agency said.

The LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathy to the injured victims and their families and wished them a swift and complete recovery.

Bakare-Oki also raised concern over the continued use of restricted highways by commercial motorcyclists, particularly on heavily trafficked routes where, he said, their vulnerability around articulated and other heavy-duty vehicles could worsen the consequences of crashes.

He urged motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and ensure that vehicles undergo regular and comprehensive mechanical inspections before being used on the roads.

“Operators of articulated vehicles, in particular must accord meticulous attention to the condition of their braking systems, tyres, steering mechanisms and other safety-critical components before embarking on any journey. Mechanical roadworthiness is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is an indispensable safeguard for the preservation of human lives.”

The LASTMA general manager further stressed the importance of compliance with traffic regulations in reducing avoidable crashes, particularly on busy transport corridors.