Olusegun Olanrewaju and Cross Udo
Following the death, so far, of six persons and injury to 79 others by the last count last night in a train mishap, the Lagos State government yesterday declared a three-day mourning for victims.

The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is in the heat of a re-election battle next week, visited the victims, their relations, as well as sympathisers.

Accompanied by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, alongside other top government officials including the state Head of Service (HoS) and cabinet members, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where most of the victims were rushed, Sanwo-Olu expressed sadness over the fatal accident.

He sympathised with them and called on well-meaning individuals to donate blood for the injured.

The governor, who arrived at the teaching hospital a few hours after the mishap which has attracted the sympathy of many, including President Muhammadu Buhari, visited all the victims of the accidents at the emergency tents created by the LASUTH authorities and also visited those transferred to different wards for further treatment and surgical operations.

It was gathered that the prompt attention and urgent intervention of LASUTH staff who were joined by the students and staff of LASUTH, 79 people out of 85 passengers on the bus were revived and treated for different injuries to stabilise them.

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They are currently receiving treatment at several other government-owned hospitals in the state.

Speaking to journalists shortly after visiting the injured at LASUTH, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 85 people were involved in the accident, out of which 42 had moderate injuries, 29 had serious injuries, and eight with mild injuries.

He informed me that an investigation is ongoing on the accident and that the driver of the bus is currently in police custody.

It would be recalled that a Lagos State Government Staff Bus with Number 33, carrying civil servants and their dependents from Isolo to Alausa, had a head-on collision with a commercial train at PWD Bus-Stop, along Agege Motor Road, in the Ikeja axis of the state.

The accident occurred around 7.30 am when the bus was about to cross the rail track but during the process, it collided with a commercial train at the location.

Many of the civil servants and their dependents on the bus sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The governor also stated that six fatalities were recorded; with two deaths recorded at the scene of the accident, while four people died at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and during surgical operations.

Sanwo-Olu further disclosed that 25 of the 83 people brought to LASUTH had been treated very quickly and transferred to the Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General Hospital, and Toll Gate Trauma Centre, all in Lagos State, for further treatments.

He commended the LASUTH staff and other medical practitioners for their prompt response in saving lives and also praised the Lagos State Emergency Response Team and all Lagos residents who were involved in a rescue operation at the accident scene.

He said, “What you saw out there is a world-class medical system where emergencies of this nature can be handled. The tent was set up to quickly determine what level of injuries were sustained by the passengers.

“Some have been sent to surgery and some are in the ICU. Some have gone for an X-ray, while some are being treated in the ward for further observation.

“I want to thank the entire staff of LASUTH both medical, and non-medical, and students of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine of the Lagos State University.

“I am very impressed with the level of commitment and the level of solidarity that has been displayed throughout this place today for immediately responding to the call of duty and from the report of what I have seen I need to thank them very much.

“I want to thank all of the personnel, especially Lagos State staff who also turned up very quickly to identify with their staff to be able to give them counsel, and encouragement and to be able to say to them that all will be well.  They will be treated and will get back safely.”

The governor encouraged members of the public who want to donate blood to come forth and donate blood to restock the LASUTH blood bank.

*Sanwo-Olu, Jandor, Rhodes-Vivour visit scene

His commendation also went to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran (Jandor), and his Labour Party LP counterpart, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), for visiting the victims, noting that Lagos can tackle the emergency.

Sanwo-Olu said, “I want to thank them and commend them for their show of commitment. Beyond politics, the victims of the accident are human beings and public servants so I want to thank them for coming here. I want to also encourage all other public-spirited Lagosians to join us in these very difficult moments.”

Earlier, the PDP governorship candidate, Adediran (aka Jandor) urged the state government to provide barriers at railway-level crossings.

Adediran made the call when he led his team on a visit to the scene of an accident involving a passenger train and a Lagos State Government Staff Bus at the PWD level crossing.

Describing the incident “as sad and unbecoming in a cosmopolitan state like Lagos,” Adediran said that safety and security of lives and property remained the primary function of any government.

“The incident is so sad. I think it’s about time we begin to have barriers that will stop vehicles when trains are coming. This is a kind of responsibility for the government. We cannot continue like this, there should be a barrier on the rail line when trains are coming.

“I’m sure we are going to get it right, I will be going to the hospital to see the victims so that we know how to provide succour for them. This is getting too much, we saw the fire incident that occurred in a market in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government on Wednesday and I will be going there too to see the level of damage.

“We will get it right as a government. We should prevent vehicles from passing when trains are coming.”

*Buhari sympathises with victims as Safety Bureau commences investigation

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy over the accident.

Reacting to the incident, the president said, “The accident at the level-crossing involving the train and the BRT staff bus is distressing and extremely sad. I pray for the souls of the deceased and quick recovery of the many who were injured.”

In a statement, issued by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari commended the Lagos State authorities and Federal Government agencies for promptly getting involved in relief work.

Also, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, expressed sadness over the train accident.

Sambo had also ordered an immediate investigation into the unfortunate incident.

The minister sympathised with the victims and prayed for the repose of the souls of those that died and quick recovery for the injured ones.

“We are saddened by the news of the accident which occurred this morning, involving a train operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a Lagos state staff bus conveying workers to their offices in the early hours of today.

“We pray for those who have lost their lives that the Almighty God should grant them eternal rest and speedy recovery to the injured,” he said.

He also commiserated with the families of the victims as well as the government and people of Lagos State over the incident.

The minister appreciated the Lagos State government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as well as members of the public for their cooperation in helping to clear the site of the incident and ensuring that the injured got immediate treatment.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an investigation into the accident.

This accident investigation marks the first train accident investigation embarked upon by the Bureau since its establishment under the NSIB Act 2022.

The NSIB, hereby, solicits information from the general public in form of pictures, video, or recording evidence to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.

The Bureau can be reached through info@aib.gov.ng and AIB Nigeria on its social media platforms. The Bureau can also be reached on its emergency line at +234-807-709-0909