A dispatch rider has been feared dead after being struck by a hit and run driver navigating against the flow of traffic on the Magboro Bridge along the Lagos to Ibadan Expressway. The tragic incident, which involved an unidentified motorist, occurred at approximately 5 pm on Wednesday. The driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after colliding with the rider.
Sympathisers and local residents promptly intervened by moving the remains of the victim from the centre of the highway to the pedestrian walkway, covering the body with a piece of cloth to maintain dignity. Other dispatch riders who converged at the scene expressed their frustration over the frequent disregard for traffic regulations and the perceived failures of road safety enforcement on the major expressway.
An eyewitness, identified simply as Michael, narrated how the events unfolded and confirmed that two individuals from the neighbourhood took the initiative to clear the casualty from the busy road to prevent subsequent crashes. He stated, "When I arrived, two people had already carried the body away from the road." He further noted his interaction with a local artisan, adding, "I asked the vulcaniser around the area what really happened, and he explained that when the driver collided with the rider, the driver immediately zoomed off."
Michael mentioned that attempts by bystanders to chase the fleeing vehicle were thwarted because there was no ready means of transportation available at that exact moment. Clarifying the type of vehicle involved, he added, "He made it clear that it was a car that struck the rider and not a trailer," Another dispatch rider at the scene, who preferred to remain anonymous, criticised the persistent recklessness of motorists on the route and the slow arrival of emergency medical responders.
A police officer stationed at the crash site, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the relatives of the deceased had been successfully notified. The officer explained, "We have been able to contact his family through his phone. One of the dispatch riders used his phone to call his family, and they said they were on their way." The policeman also acknowledged the actions of the locals, stating, "His body had been taken off the expressway when I got here. I am waiting for the arrival of the family so that we can move the body to the mortuary,"
The relatives of the late dispatch rider had not yet arrived at the location by the time the initial assessment concluded. Furthermore, neither the Federal Road Safety Corps nor the state police command had released any formal statement regarding the fatal crash as of the time the report was filed.
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