Again, Lagos BRT crushes mother with baby strapped to her back

Another accident involving a high capacity bus on the fleet of Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has claimed the life of a woman, Reini Akakpo, who had her baby strapped to her back.

The accident occurred on Union Road, Dopemu in Agege area of the metropolis

The 26-year-old woman, who was crushed, had attempted to cross the BRT lane on Union Road.

Persecondnews recalls that BRT buses had crushed many pedestrians in Ikorodu and Lagos metropolis in the past years.

However, the victim’s one-year-old daughter, has not died and is still receiving treatment at the emergency unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Persecondnews gathered.

“The accident victims were rescued by some good Samaritans rescued but the woman lost her life as a result of the injuries she sustained.

“The woman and her daughter were beside me when I wanted to cross to connect to Union Road to go to my shop around 8.13am.

“But the woman rushed and the BRT driver, who was driving at top speed, knocked down the woman and her daughter.

“After the accident, people started pouring water on the woman’s face; her daughter was unconscious. The woman was rushed to a hospital but she didn’t make it,” a witness said.

The BRT driver, however, abandoned the bus and took to his heels.

Lamenting the killing of his wife, Reini’s husband, Monday, said his wife was abandoned at LASUTH and was not admitted immediately until she breathed her last in the vehicle that brought her to  the hospital.

The hospital officials claimed there was no bed space at the facility for the victim.

Commenting on the incident, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said a system had been put in place in the hospital that will enable medical personnel to render first aid to patients even if there was no bed space.

Contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said:”lmmediately the police got wind of the accident, policemen from the Shasha division proceeded to the scene.

“The driver has been apprehended and detained, while the vehicle is with the police.