A tragic road accident on Friday night claimed the lives of 10 individuals and left three others injured along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Expressway.
The incident occurred at the Omu Bridge, near the Awa Ijebu area, when a vehicle transporting 15 people lost control and fell into a river beneath the bridge. Eyewitness accounts suggest the vehicle was speeding before the driver lost control, causing it to veer off the bridge.
Videos from the scene showed lifeless bodies being pulled from the river, as bystanders struggled to rescue trapped passengers from the partially submerged vehicle.
According to a local resident, identified only as TMC, the crash involved an 18-seater commercial bus traveling from Ijebu Ode to Ibadan. He said the accident may have been caused by excessive speed, resulting in the bus crashing into the river.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) confirmed the incident. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, TRACE spokesperson Babatunde Akinbiyi said the crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Friday but emergency responders could not access the scene until early Saturday morning.
He identified the vehicle as a Mitsubishi bus with registration number EJ829-LSR. According to him, eyewitnesses reported that the driver was attempting to overtake another vehicle at high speed when he encountered oncoming traffic. In an attempt to avoid a collision, the driver swerved off the road, hit a pile of gravel beside the bridge, and plunged into the river.
Of the 15 passengers on board, 10 — seven men and three women — were confirmed dead. Three others sustained injuries, while a toddler and one adult escaped unhurt.
The deceased have been taken to the morgue at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital, while the injured were also transported there for treatment.
Akinbiyi extended condolences to the victims’ families and urged drivers to avoid reckless driving, speeding, and night travel, which he said significantly increase the risk of fatal accidents.
