Trending 
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested a tanker driver who allegedly fled after fatally knocking down a dispatch rider along Kodesho Road in the Maryland area of Lagos.
According to the agency, the crash occurred opposite MRS Filling Station, inward Awolowo Way/Oba Akran, when the fully loaded tanker transporting 33-litre groundnut oil containers struck the commercial motorcycle rider, who died on the spot.
LASTMA said the driver attempted to escape without stopping to assist the victim or report the incident to the authorities.
“In a reprehensible attempt to evade justice, the tanker driver reportedly sped away from the accident scene without rendering assistance to the victim or notifying the relevant authorities,” the agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said its officers immediately launched a pursuit after receiving a distress alert and intercepted the tanker before the driver could flee.
The agency said the suspect and the tanker had been handed over to the State Traffic Department (STD) of the Area ‘F’ Police Command, Ikeja, for investigation and possible prosecution.
“Following the arrest, the tanker driver and the vehicle were promptly handed over to the State Traffic Department (STD), Area ‘F’ Police Command, Ikeja, for comprehensive investigation and subsequent prosecution in accordance with extant laws,” LASTMA said.
The authority added that its personnel secured the crash scene, managed traffic and coordinated emergency response efforts to minimise disruption to motorists along the busy corridor.
Fellow dispatch riders at the scene contacted the deceased’s family and mourned the loss of their colleague.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki described the death as tragic and avoidable.
He urged operators of articulated vehicles and other heavy-duty trucks to exercise greater caution on the roads.
Bakare-Oki warned that reckless driving, excessive speeding and fleeing the scene of a crash are serious offences.
He also reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to working with the Nigeria Police Force and other emergency responders to improve road safety and ensure prompt responses to traffic incidents across Lagos State.
PRESS RELEASE
LASTMA APPREHENDS FLEEING TANKER DRIVER AFTER FATAL HIT-AND-RUN CLAIMS LIFE OF DELIVERY RIDER IN IKEJA
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed the successful apprehension of a tanker driver who attempted to flee the scene after fatally… pic.twitter.com/AfUSr2OM3X
— LASTMA (@followlastma) July 22, 2026
