Dispatch Rider Attempting to Cross Railway Line Crushed to Death by Train in Lagos
- A dispatch rider was crushed to death by a moving train at the PWD Railway Level Crossing in Ikeja, Lagos, after attempting to hurriedly cross the track
- LASTMA officials and police officers swiftly responded to the scene, cordoning off the area to prevent further accidents and ease traffic flow
- LASTMA’s general manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, mourned the victim and urged motorists to obey railway crossing rules to avoid preventable tragedies
Lagos state - A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, October 16, as a dispatch rider was crushed to death by a moving train.
This tragic development happened along the PWD Railway Level Crossing in Ikeja, Lagos state.
Source: UGC
In response to a claim by Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the motorcyclist on motorcycle number plate AGL 179 QR was instantly killed when he attempted to quickly cross the railway.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the dispatch rider, reportedly travelling at excessive speed, attempted to hastily manoeuvre across the railway track in a bid to access the GRA area of Ikeja.
"In the accident, he had crashed into an approaching train. The collision was fatal, with the cyclist dying instantly and the train moving on the tracks," Taofiq said.
Emergency response and scene management
Taofiq confirmed that LASTMA personnel were the first responders at the scene, working with officers from the Shogunle Police Division to secure the area and manage traffic flow.
“As first responders, LASTMA officials promptly cordoned off the scene of the incident to prevent secondary mishaps and ensure the free flow of vehicular movement,” he said.
The State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) was later contacted to evacuate the body of the deceased rider for onward action, Nation reported.
LASTMA boss calls for caution and compliance
Source: Facebook
LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki sympathized with the deceased family over the tragic incident and called on road users to be careful at all times, but especially at railway intersections, Punch reported.
"We sympathize with the family of the dead and call on motorists and motorcyclists to respect traffic light signals and warning signs installed by the government," he stated through the agency spokesperson.
Bakare-Oki also reiterated LASTMA's pledge to public safety in terms of continued awareness campaigns and enforcement.
"LASTMA remains committed to public enlightenment, effective enforcement, and advocacy for safety to maintain sanity and orderliness in Lagos," he added.
Rising concerns over train-related fatalities
Thursday’s fatal crash adds to a growing list of train-related accidents in Lagos, particularly around the PWD and Mushin railway corridors.
In September 2018, a police inspector and a motorcyclist were crushed at the same PWD crossing after attempting to outrun a moving train. Similarly, in August 2024, an unidentified man lost his life in Mushin after being struck while walking along the Cappa railway tracks.
In response to these recurring incidents, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had in 2023 called for the installation of functional level-crossing gates and warning signal systems to improve safety at railway intersections across the country.
6 injured in Abuja-Kaduna train derailment
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said that it had commenced an investigation into the derailment involving a Kaduna-bound train service, which occurred on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, between Kubwa Station in Abuja and Asham Station.
The NSIB also confirmed that six persons were injured in the incident with no recorded fatalities.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
