ABUJA, March 9 (Reuters) – A train rammed into a public bus in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos on Thursday, killing six people and injuring dozens of others, as the bus driver tried to beat the train signal, emergency services and the state governor said.
The accident happened at a bus stop in the Ikeja axis of Lagos, a city of around 20 million people, Lagos state emergency services said in a statement.
“Two persons died on the spot while four others died in the hospital, 25 persons have been treated and transferred to Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General Hospital and the trauma centre at toll gate,” Babajide Sanwo-olu, governor of Lagos State said at the State Hospital.
Security guard Ubong Okon witnessed the aftermath of the crash, which happened at about 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. local time (0600 to 0700 GMT).
“I came out to open the gate, then I saw the train and the bus, I looked inside the bus, there were lots of passengers inside, I went inside and saw people with injuries, there was blood everywhere, then I started to help get people inside the bus out.”
Traffic jams are part of daily life in Lagos, where most people drive with little regard for road and safety rules.
In Africa’s most populous nation, many roads are poorly maintained and riven with potholes, leading to accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.
Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said in a statement that he has directed Nigeria’s safety investigation agency to look into the cause of the accident.
Reporting by Camillus Eboh
Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Bhargav Acharya and Sharon Singleton
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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