Passengers injured as bus plunges into canal in Lagos

A Volkswagen bus carrying several persons has plunged into a canal in Oworonshoki area of Lagos.

The occupants of the vehicle, with number plate marked LSD 184 XV, were said to be on their way to an event on Monday, when the driver lost control of the bus.

All the passengers have, however, been rescued with no fatality recorded as of this time.

Some persons sustained injuries, while one of the passengers who was seriously injured is currently receiving medical treatment.

Giving a situation report on the incident on Monday evening, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, director-general of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said the bus has been evacuated.

“On arrival at the above scene, a white vanagon with registration number LSD 184 XV was discovered to have been involved in a lone accident. Further information gathered revealed that the accident was as a result of carelessness of the driver who lost control while trying to cross a mini bridge,” the statement reads.

“The bus fell sideways into the small ditch and got stuck. The occupants were rescued with minor injuries while a lady of about 20 years of age who sustained critical injuries was rushed to a nearby hospital.

“Responders at the scene were the Agency’s Response Team, LASTMA and the Nigeria Police. The affected vehicle was recovered from the ditch with the aid of the Agency’s towing truck and handed over to Police Officers at Alonge Police Station Oworonsoki.”

The development comes months after a similar accident occurred in Bauchi state.

In July, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said three corpses were recovered after a vehicle plunged into a river in Gadan Tilde along the Bauchi-Jos road, Toro LGA of Bauchi state.

The incident was said to have occurred around 1 am on July 24 after the driver of a green-coloured commercial Opel Vectra, registered JNN 348 NC, lost control and swerved into the river.

Meanwhile, months before the Bauchi incident, in April, an interstate bus plunged into the Owena river along Akure-Ondo road in Ondo.

The driver was said to have lost control of the 18-seater vehicle before the bus fell off the bridge.