JUST IN: FG orders investigation bureau to probe Lagos train crash

The Federal Government has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to launch an immediate investigation into the root cause of the collision between a train and a staff bus of the Lagos State Government that occurred in the Ikeja area of the state on Thursday.

The directive was revealed by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in a tweet via his handle, @hadisirika.

The minister expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy and prayed for a quick recovery for those injured.

Sirika also urged the public to cooperate with NSIB’s investigation team.

He wrote, “My heart goes out to those who lost their lives in today’s train crash and those who got injured as well as the Government and people of Lagos.

“Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau experts have been directed to move quickly. We solicit public cooperation as the investigation commences”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that two people were killed and many others injured when a moving train crashed into a BRT bus at the PWD bus stop in Ikeja area of Lagos State on Thursday morning.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Taofiq Adebayo, affirmed that rescue operations were still underway with many casualties expected due to the fully loaded bus carrying members of staff from Ikotun en route to Alausa, the state secretariat.

An eyewitness who visited the Optical section at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, but preferred not to be named, described the incident as ‘pathetic’, saying she saw people drenched in blood being brought in trucks like ‘pure water’.