Family Demands Prosecution Of BRT Driver After Teenager’s Death

The family of a Lagos teenager, Elizabeth Fresh, has demanded the prosecution of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver following her death in a fatal road accident at Airport Junction, Ikeja.

The incident occurred on January 9, when Miss Fresh was knocked down by a high-capacity bus operated by a Bus Operating Company (BOC) under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) regulation.

It was gathered that the teenager was struck by a red-and-white high-capacity bus. The driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after the incident.

According to the Airport Police Command, passersby at the scene quickly rushed the victim to the Air Force Base Hospital for urgent medical attention, where medical personnel confirmed that the victim was dead on arrival. This was as a result of the impact of the injuries sustained by the teenager.

Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, LAMATA said it contacted the victim’s family to express condolences and solidarity over the tragic loss.

The family, according to the agency, insisted that the driver responsible for the accident be apprehended and prosecuted.

Following the family’s demand, LAMATA said it worked closely with the affected Bus Operating Company to identify and apprehend the driver. Acting on a formal directive from the authority, the company presented the driver on January 12.

The driver was subsequently handed over to the police at the domestic wing police station of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport the same day, in the presence of the company’s manager.

“Initial reports indicated that the accident occurred on the BRT lane, but there was no confirmation on which type of vehicle impacted the deceased. However, subsequent eyewitness accounts confirmed that Miss Fresh was struck by a high-capacity bus, which we later confirmed was operated by the Red and White Bus Operating Company. The driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after the incident.

“LAMATA immediately contacted the family to express their sincere sympathies and solidarity. The family demanded that the driver be apprehended and prosecuted. LAMATA assured the family that it was working closely with the concerned operator to ensure the identification, apprehension, and handover of the driver to the Police for appropriate legal action,” LAMATA’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kolawole Ojelabi, said in a statement.

LAMATA expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the teenager, noting that it remains committed to ensuring safety and accountability across all transport services under its regulation.

The authority also urged pedestrians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges provided by the Lagos State Government when crossing BRT corridors, in order to prevent similar tragedies.