Trailer with Brake Failure Crushes Tricycle at Ekoro Junction, Killing One

A tragic multi-vehicle crash at Ekoro Junction inward Ile-Iwe, Lagos, has claimed the life of a commercial tricycle operator and left two other passengers seriously injured, after a fully loaded six-tyre trailer suffered brake failure and ploughed through oncoming traffic on Wednesday morning.

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The accident, confirmed by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), involved a six-tyre trailer, a Honda Pilot SUV, a Toyota Camry, and an unregistered tricycle that bore the full force of the impact.

According to LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, the trailer was descending the Ekoro axis when its braking system failed completely.

In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Taofiq disclosed:

“Preliminary investigations show that the calamity was triggered by mechanical brake failure. The driver lost total control of the fully loaded trailer, which then crushed the tricycle beyond recognition before colliding with a Honda Pilot and vaulting over the median into a Toyota Camry on the opposite lane.”

Eyewitnesses say the tricycle operator died instantly as the heavy-duty truck flattened his vehicle in seconds, leaving no chance for escape.

LASTMA personnel arrived within minutes, rescuing two passengers who had been trapped inside the mangled tricycle, while confirming the operator dead at the scene.

Taofiq added:

“Officers cordoned off the accident scene immediately to prevent secondary crashes. Relevant emergency agencies — including the Nigeria Police Force and the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SHEMU) — were alerted without delay.”

Police officers from the Ile-Epo Division transported:

• the deceased tricycle operator
• the two critically injured survivors

to the General Hospital, Ile-Epo, for emergency care and procedural documentation.

To manage the buildup of traffic during rescue operations, authorities diverted vehicles through Iyana-Meran and Ajasa Command routes. The damaged vehicles were later removed and towed to the police station for a full mechanical and forensic investigation.

Reacting to the tragedy, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki described the incident as avoidable, blaming it on poor mechanical maintenance and failure to comply with speed limits.

He offered his condolences to the victim’s family and called on all heavy-duty transport operators to:

• Perform routine brake inspections
• Adhere strictly to speed regulations
• Avoid descending steep roads with overloaded trucks
• Ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before deployment

“These crashes are preventable. One failed brake can destroy multiple families,” he emphasized.

This incident comes just days after two separate road crashes that occurred on Sunday night:

1. Oniru, Victoria Island

Around 11:46 p.m., a Nissan Saloon car (LND 738 FQ) reportedly developed brake failure, somersaulted, and severely injured occupants.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident, linking it again to mechanical failure.

2. Saapade, Lagos–Ibadan Expressway

Another crash along the expressway injured several people after a nighttime collision.

Altogether, Lagos has recorded multiple brake-related crashes within one week — a worrying pattern RoadKing.ng has repeatedly warned about.

RoadKing Analysis: Why Brake Failures Kill More Nigerians Than Speeding

Crash data from FRSC has long shown that mechanical failures, especially failed brakes are among Nigeria’s deadliest road hazards, particularly involving:

• Trailers
• Tankers
• Heavy-duty trucks
• Poorly maintained commercial vehicles

These vehicles travel long distances, often overloaded, with worn-out brake pads, expired hydraulic fluid, and faulty air-brake systems.

At steep corridors like Ekoro Junction, a single mechanical failure can trigger multi-vehicle disasters, as seen in this case.

RoadKing advises:

• Mandatory quarterly inspection for all articulated trucks
• Digital tracking and brake-reporting devices
• Night-time speed restrictions for heavy trucks
• Enforcement of axle-weight limits

Until Nigeria prioritizes mechanical integrity, these tragedies will continue.