Kehinde Akintola – Abuja
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq on Friday averred that the BRT staff bus and train collision on Thursday morning at the PWD railway intersection was unfortunate and unavoidable.
While sympathizing with the Lagos state government and victims of the crash, which involved about 85 passengers, the Minister condoled the injured victims and families of those who lost their lives in the accident.
“I express my condolences to the Lagos state government and victims of this fatal train accident. This is tragic and unfortunate, especially when exercising a little patience could have been avoided. The loss of lives saddens me through a BRT driver’s carelessness.
“May God rest their souls. We pray for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident as some survivors have been taken to hospital by the first responders for treatment.
“We, however, need more sensitization programmes for BRT drivers and other railway line and road users on the dangers of crossing the rail when a train is approaching.”
In his remarks, South West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, reported that the State Government staff bus attempted to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail while the train was approaching but got trapped on the rail leading to the crash.
Farinloye said many victims were rescued by LASEMA, NEMA, Police, FRSC, Civil Defence, and the Nigeria Railway Corporation team, while some died in the crash. Their bodies, he said, have since been deposited in the morgue.
