Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has renewed its appeal for caution and strict compliance with traffic regulations after a moving train crushed a dispatch rider to death at the PWD Railway Level Crossing in Ikeja on Thursday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to witnesses, the dispatch rider tried to cross the railway line despite warnings that a train was approaching. The train struck him instantly, killing him on the spot. The tragic incident caused panic and a brief traffic buildup around the busy Ikeja corridor.

LASTMA officials, alongside police officers from the Shogunle Division, arrived quickly to secure the area and control traffic. The Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit later removed the victim’s remains from the scene.

In a statement, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki described the incident as avoidable and called it “a sad reminder of the dangers of impatience and disregard for safety rules.”

“This is a distressing reminder of the dire consequences of impatience and disregard for traffic safety rules, particularly at railway level crossings,” Bakare-Oki said. “We are urging all motorists, especially dispatch riders and commercial drivers, to always exercise patience and obey traffic signals.”

Bakare-Oki noted that the agency would strengthen safety enforcement around railway crossings across the state. He also said public awareness campaigns would be intensified to prevent similar tragedies.

Eyewitnesses said the rider, whose identity had not been confirmed as of press time, was traveling at high speed and ignored the warning signals and barriers before the collision. “He thought he could beat the train,” one witness told reporters. “Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.”

Officials confirmed that the train was traveling from Agege toward Oshodi when the accident occurred. Rail workers and LASTMA officers worked together to clear the track to allow train operations to continue later in the day.

The incident adds to a growing number of accidents at railway crossings in Lagos. In March 2023, six people were killed when a train collided with a Lagos State staff bus near the same area. In 2018, a motorcyclist and a police officer lost their lives after attempting to outrun a train at the same crossing.

Road safety experts say such accidents continue to occur because many motorists fail to respect warning signs or underestimate the speed of approaching trains. They have also called for improved safety infrastructure, such as automatic barriers, better signage, and the deployment of traffic officers at high-risk points.

Bakare-Oki said LASTMA remains committed to ensuring safety and reducing road crashes in the state. He urged all road users to see traffic rules as life-saving measures, not as inconveniences.

“Safety is a shared responsibility,” he said. “No delivery, appointment, or schedule is worth a human life.”

The Lagos State Government has continued to invest in rail infrastructure as part of its broader transportation plan. However, officials have warned that the success of such projects depends largely on the cooperation and discipline of road users.

LASTMA appealed to residents to report reckless driving and violations through its official hotlines and social media channels. The agency reiterated that enforcement officers would maintain regular patrols at railway crossings and other accident-prone areas.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding Thursday’s crash.

The incident serves as another painful reminder of the importance of patience and compliance at railway crossings — a lesson officials hope will prevent future tragedies on Lagos roads.