Three Dead, Six Injured in Tragic Multi-Vehicle Crash Caused by Brake Failure at Ota Tollgate

A brake failure at Ota Tollgate caused a fatal multi-vehicle crash on March 6, 2026. 3 dead, including a toddler, and 6 injured. Read the full accident report.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 5:47 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent

Mechanical Failure Triggers Chain-Reaction Collision

The Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway became the site of a horrific scene on Friday afternoon when an articulated truck suffered a catastrophic brake failure while inbound toward Lagos. At approximately 2:15 p.m., the white Howo Sino truck (registration T4995LA) lost control as it approached the Ota Tollgate. Unable to stop, the heavy vehicle plowed into a group of commuters waiting by the roadside before smashing into five commercial buses that were picking up passengers. The force of the impact crushed several smaller vehicles, trapping occupants and causing immediate fatalities.

Casualties and Emergency Medical Response

Emergency responders from the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Papa Oscar Rescue Team arrived swiftly to manage the chaos. Out of the 15 people directly involved in the collision, officials confirmed that three individuals died at the scene: one adult male, one adult female, and a female toddler. Six other victims—three males and three females—sustained varying degrees of injuries. The injured were stabilized and transported to the General Hospital in Ota, while the deceased were moved to the Ifo General Hospital morgue.

Traffic Gridlock and Clearing Operations

The accident caused significant traffic congestion on the busy interstate artery for several hours. Specialized towing teams were deployed to remove the wreckage of the five commercial buses and the articulated truck, which were eventually moved to the Papa Oscar impound yard for forensic investigation. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer for TRACE, confirmed that coordinated efforts between various agencies allowed for the restoration of traffic flow by early evening. Motorists were advised to exercise extreme caution while passing the tollgate area during the recovery process.