Two Children Die in Ogun Road Crash as Experts Renew Calls for Child Passenger Safety
Five people, including two children, died in a crash on the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway on Thursday. The accident occurred at Iyana Egbado in Ogun State.
Ten other passengers sustained injuries. Five more people escaped without harm.
The crash involved a white Mazda E2000 bus with 20 passengers on board. Officials said the vehicle was overloaded.
Odunsi Afolabi, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State, confirmed the details. He said the passengers included six adult males, 11 adult females, one male child, and two female children.
According to him, FRSC rescue teams arrived within minutes. They reached the scene about five minutes after receiving the alert.
Emergency responders rushed the injured victims to nearby hospitals. These include General Hospital, Ifo, and Oreofe Specialist Hospital in Itori.
Meanwhile, authorities deposited the bodies of the deceased at the General Hospital morgue in Ifo.
Investigators linked the crash to speeding and overloading. They said preliminary findings point to driver error and unsafe travel conditions.
Child protection advocates reacted strongly to the incident. They warned that children remain highly vulnerable in road crashes.
Furthermore, they stressed that overcrowded buses increase the risk for young passengers. Many operators still ignore basic safety rules, they noted.
Road safety experts also urged stronger enforcement of transport laws. They said children need extra protection during all forms of travel.
FRSC Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, expressed sympathy to the affected families. He also urged drivers to avoid speeding and overloading.
In addition, he called for full compliance with traffic regulations. He said road safety requires shared responsibility from all motorists.
The crash has renewed calls for stricter protection of child passengers. Stakeholders say better enforcement could prevent similar tragedies in the future.
