A 16-year-old boy named Sunday Afolabi has sustained severe and life-changing injuries after being hit by a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle in the Ilepo Oja area near Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State.
According to reports from Drivetvnews, the incident occurred on April 14 when the BRT driver, who had momentarily stopped to allow passengers to disembark, unexpectedly resumed driving while Sunday was attempting to cross the road.
His mother, Nike Afolabi, explained that her son had signaled to the driver before stepping onto the road. However, the bus suddenly moved, and part of Sunday’s clothing became caught in the vehicle, causing him to be dragged for a significant distance, resulting in critical injuries.
He was immediately taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where medical professionals determined that he could no longer pass stool through his anus due to the extent of his injuries.
Nike further revealed that doctors had to perform surgery to reroute his digestive system, making it necessary for him to excrete through an opening in his abdomen until the injuries heal sufficiently for another corrective surgery. At present, Sunday is unable to walk.
She also claimed that a BRT official initially assigned to assist at the hospital stopped showing up and has since ignored her calls. With financial resources running low, Nike is pleading for support and justice on behalf of her son.
Recalling the incident, she said, “The bus had stopped for passengers to get off. My son signaled his intent to cross. As he did, the driver suddenly accelerated, and my son’s clothes got stuck. He was dragged until he lost consciousness. Bystanders raised the alarm before the bus stopped. Although the driver was arrested, he was later released after other BRT drivers intervened at the police station.”
Nike explained that her son did not use the pedestrian bridge because it has become notorious for robberies and is generally avoided by locals due to the presence of criminals.
Legal practitioner Saidi Sanni, who visited the boy at the hospital, confirmed that Sunday had sustained serious injuries to his lower body, particularly his buttocks.
Attempts to get a response from Kolawole Ojelabi, the spokesperson for the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered. Similar efforts to contact Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, also yielded no response.
