Juliet Oladele, Reporting
AT least five people have been killed after a fully laden diesel tanker suffered a brake failure and ploughed into several vehicles along the Iwo Road–Ojoo Expressway in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The crash occurred at approximately 10am on Saturday at Aduloju Bus Stop, opposite Dominion City, involving the tanker and a number of vehicles, including commercial Nissan Micra cars.
Adeoye Ayoade, General Manager of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), said the incident followed a traffic build-up caused by a broken-down trailer carrying motor spare parts at Arilogu earlier that morning.
According to Mr Ayoade, the tanker lost its brakes and overturned, with its tank landing on a Nissan Micra carrying five occupants — two men, including the driver, and three women. All five died at the scene.
The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident, saying the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, had ordered nearby police teams to secure the scene and assist with rescue operations.
The victims’ bodies have been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital Mortuary, while the damaged vehicles have been removed. Personnel from OYRTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the police were deployed to manage traffic and clear the road.
The accident caused severe congestion along the busy route, though Mr Ayoade later confirmed that the obstruction had been cleared and traffic restored.
Saturday’s tragedy once again highlights the recurring menace of brake failures involving heavy-duty vehicles on Nigeria’s highways, with safety campaigners long calling for stricter enforcement of vehicle roadworthiness checks.
