Lagos, Nigeria
CNN
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Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has briefly halted his reelection marketing campaign after a prepare rammed right into a public bus within the nation’s industrial hub Thursday, killing six individuals and injuring dozens of others.
The accident occurred at a bus cease within the Ikeja space of Lagos, a metropolis of round 20 million individuals, Lagos state emergency providers mentioned in an announcement.
Sanwo-Olu tweeted Thursday that 85 passengers comprising state employees have been aboard the bus.
“Lagos is in a state of mourning and for the following 3 days, I’m suspending all marketing campaign actions. All flags will probably be flown at half mast and tomorrow all civil servants will work until 12 midday earlier than returning dwelling to be with their family members throughout this attempting time,” the governor additional mentioned in a collection of tweets whereas calling for blood donations to deal with the injured.
The nation’s President Muhammadu Buhari described the accident as “distressing and very unhappy,” in an announcement on Thursday.
“The accident on the stage crossing involving a prepare and BRT workers bus is distressing and very unhappy. I pray for the souls of the deceased and fast restoration of the injured,” Buhari mentioned whereas commending Lagos authorities for intervening swiftly on the scene of the collision.
Safety guard Ubong Okon witnessed the aftermath of the crash, which occurred from about 7 a.m. to eight a.m. native time (0600 to 0700 GMT).
“I got here out to open the gate, then I noticed the prepare and the bus, I regarded contained in the bus, there have been a lot of passengers inside, I went inside and noticed individuals with accidents, there was blood in all places, then I began to assist get individuals contained in the bus out.”
Site visitors jams are a part of day by day life in Lagos, the place most individuals drive with little regard for street and security guidelines.
In Africa’s most populous nation, many roads are poorly maintained and riven with potholes, resulting in accidents that declare hundreds of lives yearly.
Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika mentioned in an announcement that he has directed Nigeria’s security investigation company to look into the reason for the accident.