In a statement released through her Special Adviser on Media, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the Minister expressed her condolences to the Lagos State government and the victims of the tragic incident. She noted that the accident could have been avoided if the BRT driver had exercised more patience.
Umar Farouq stated that she was saddened by the loss of lives resulting from the carelessness of the BRT driver and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident. Some of the survivors, she added, had been taken to the hospital by first responders for treatment.
While commiserating with the victims, the Minister called for more sensitization programs to educate BRT drivers and other railway line and road users on the dangers of crossing the rail when a train is approaching.
The South West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, reported that the State Government staff bus attempted to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail while the train was approaching and got trapped on the rail, leading to the crash.
Many victims were rescued by LASEMA, NEMA, Police, FRSC, Civil Defence, and the Nigeria Railway Corporation team, while some died in the crash. Their bodies, he said, have since been deposited in the morgue.