₦airaland Forum

Tragedy struck on Monday, February 23, 2026, when a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer and two pedestrians were crushed to death at the Badagry Roundabout inward Seme, Lagos, following a brake failure involving a truck.

The devastating crash sent shockwaves through the community, with residents lamenting the frequent accidents recorded along the axis in recent times.

The incident, which involved a truck belonging to the Dangote Group, underscored the daily risks traffic officers face in keeping roads safe.

According to initial reports, the fully loaded SHACMAN truck suffered a catastrophic brake failure while travelling at high speed. The driver reportedly lost control, crushing the LASTMA officer who was regulating traffic, along with a pedestrian at the roundabout.

The truck continued on its path and tragically struck another individual before coming to a stop approximately 200 metres from the initial point of impact.

The driver fled the scene but was later apprehended by other LASTMA personnel and handed over to the police.

Emergency responders, including LASTMA officials, the Badagry Police Division, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and concerned residents, rushed to the scene for rescue operations.

The victims were taken to the General Hospital, Badagry, where they were pronounced dead.

General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed profound grief and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.

“This is a heartbreaking incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this incredibly difficult time.

The LASTMA officer who lost his life was a dedicated public servant who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the people of Lagos. We honour his courage, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to duty,” Bakare-Oki said.

He stressed the urgent need for transport companies to prioritise vehicle safety.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of mechanical failures. We implore all haulage operators and logistics companies to implement rigorous and regular maintenance checks, especially on braking systems, to prevent such avoidable accidents,” he added.

The ill-fated truck has been impounded and handed over to the Badagry Police Division for forensic investigation.

Bakare-Oki assured the public that the agency would work closely with relevant authorities to ensure justice is served and to strengthen safety regulations across Lagos roads.

“This painful loss underscores the critical importance of collective responsibility in ensuring road safety. The Lagos State Government is committed to reinforcing monitoring frameworks, enhancing emergency response capabilities, and intensifying public awareness campaigns to prevent such tragedies from recurring,” he said.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority is the primary state agency responsible for managing solid waste, including collection, transportation, and disposal, to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment in Lagos State.

This agency was established in 1977 to handle domestic, industrial, and commercial waste, enforce environmental laws, and promote recycling initiatives.

As background, LAWMA operates from Iddo Yard, Ijora Olopa, and provides services in waste disposal, drain clearing, and the management of derelict vehicles.

The key functions and services of LAWMA are as follows:

Waste collection and disposal: Manages the daily collection and disposal of household and industrial waste, including medical and hazardous waste.

Regulatory oversight: Enforces environmental laws and standards, including policing against illegal dumping and penalising non-compliance

Commercial services: Provides waste management services to business and commercial entities.

Public education and awareness: Promotes environmental sustainability through public outreach programmes, educating residents on waste reduction, sorting, and recycling.

Recycling initiatives: [/b]Drives waste reduction by encouraging the separation of waste and supporting recycling programmes.

[b]Infrastructure management: Maintains landfill sites and facilities for effective waste disposal.

Consultancy: Offering waste management expertise to other Nigerian states and African countries.

Going through the above key roles and functions of LAWMA as enshrined in its enabling statute, ordinarily, one would have expected this agency to have risen up to its mandates. Contrary is the case in Lagos, particularly in today’s Lagos.

This writer is motivated to do this report based on an eyewitness account as of February 19, 2026. A drive through all the major city roads will confirm the unhealthy state of Lagos with respect to the failure of LAWMA to clean up the city. We currently have an overflow of refuse from streets to streets and from market areas through to highways. The worst hit are the market areas. Is stinking. Who Do Us?

Concerning the number function of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, the outcome is absolute failure. The collection and disposal, where it is being done, is poor and not regular. The experience in most places has been absolute abandonment. Refuse has not been collected in the Jibowu area of Abule Egba for two months running. Payment has been made ahead of the month. LAWMA served the resident bi-monthly. You dare not paid and there is no alternative.

Citizens are left helpless with no alternative. LAWMA is a government monopoly foisted on the citizens.

Let’s take it that the state’s number one citizen lives on the Island, but the second and the third, i.e. deputy governor and the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, reside in the highbrow estate in Agege. I mean Agege. They drive through from their place of abode to the office, and I don’t want to believe that these personalities are not aware of the current unkempt state of the city. Who will help us out with this?

LAWMA also has a regulatory oversight role, i.e. enforcement of environmental laws as one of its functions. What a contradiction. For an agency created to make the city and the entire state clean, but has been failing to acquit itself successfully. How could it have enforced the laws they have been breaking? Who is regulating this regulator? This is one area the Lagos State House of Assembly should have performed its oversight roles on the state Agency, but to say they have been failing is also saying the obvious. LAWMA may have been collecting refuse in the Big Ogas Estate, but should the governed be left helpless?

Interestingly, LAWMA serves its bills regularly, and residents must pay whether or not it comes to collect the refuse. They have ready-made excuses for their failures. Bad road to sites. Raining seasons. Vehicle breakdown. As if they didn’t know all these while canvassing for the contract.

In the face of these failures, LAWMA increased their fees using the inflationary trend as a yardstick. Do we blame them? No. Their oppressive conduct is legalised through the government’s failure to give the citizens an alternative.

The question on the lips of Lagosians now is, who will save us from this LAWMA-induced imminent epidemic?

Win12345:
BRT was never cheap with the overload, discomfort and delays that comes with it. The effect is that there will hike for other commuters. APC will surely be remembered for its gross wickedness to the people.

The Lagos State Government has approved a 13 per cent increase in fares across all services under the Bus Reform Initiative, which includes the Bus Rapid Transit system and standard bus routes throughout the state.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu granted the approval after receiving a passionate appeal from regulated public transport operators, who highlighted the mounting challenges threatening the long-term viability of their operations in Nigeria’s current economic climate.

In a statement by Head of Corporate Communication, LAMATA Kolawole Ojelabi, the revised fare structure will come into effect from Monday, March 2, 2026.

“The adjustment is designed to help offset the severe impact of ongoing economic pressures on public transport providers. It also aligns with the state’s previously established annual fare review mechanism. The urgency of the measure is driven by persistent inflationary trends.

“Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows Nigeria’s headline inflation rate stood at 15.15 percent in December 2025, with only slight moderation to around 15.1 percent in January 2026, levels that continue to exert heavy strain on operating costs,” the statement added.

The statement added that bus operating companies have been contending with sharply rising expenses in several key areas, including vehicle maintenance and repairs, imported spare parts, and staff salaries, particularly following the rollout of the new national minimum wage.

“In addition, operators are committing significant resources to fleet renewal, procuring newer, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient buses to boost passenger comfort, maintain high service standards, and advance environmental sustainability goals in Lagos.

“The state government sought to reassure commuters that the decision reflects a careful effort to balance affordability with operational necessities.

Terrorists suspected to be fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly attacked the Garahamojili military camp of the Nigerian Army in Adamawa State, killing at least two soldiers during a fierce gun battle.

SaharaReporters gathered that the insurgents launched the assault on Sunday, engaging troops in a 20-minute firefight before overpowering the position.

However, two soldiers were confirmed dead in the exchange, while an unspecified number of others may have sustained injuries.

The attackers were said to have set parts of the camp ablaze, destroying structures and burning three military vehicles stationed within the facility.

Meanwhile, the insurgents allegedly carted away weapons and ammunition from the facility before retreating to undisclosed locations.

However, the Nigerian military has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the attack or provide further details on casualties and material losses.

Adamawa, which shares borders with Borno State, the epicentre of insurgency in Nigeria, has witnessed intermittent attacks in recent months.

SenecaTheYonger:
We're about to witness a mini-war in Mexico this month