Lagos Train Crash Survivor Says Switching Bus Seats Saved Her Life

A survivor of the recent Lagos train crash has narrated how her decision to leave her usual seat and sit with a colleague saved her life. The unnamed civil servant said that her usual seat was the exact spot where the train hit the bus. She said that a friend invited her to sit with her on the third row in front of the bus since the person who had reserved the seat couldn’t make it. The survivor said that she was grateful to be alive and that her survival was a miracle.

Another survivor of the Lagos train crash, who gave her name as Ope, said she woke up to shouts of ‘e ma lo, e duro’ (don’t go, wait) and was jostled from sleep by the commotion on the bus before the accident occurred.

The staff bus, which conveyed all Lagos State government staff living in the Ikotun/Isolo area, irrespective of the department or agency, was heading for the secretariat when the accident happened. Several survivors were taken to Orile Agege General hospital, including Juwon Fagbohun, 27, from the Agency for Mass Education; Adesoji Ajibade of the Office of the Head of Service; Mariam Olayiwola,18, Ministry of Health; Eniola Fashoyin, 53, from the Office of the Head of Service, PSO Alausa; Mrs. Adejoke Banjo, 42, from the Office of the Head of Service; Olaide Alabi, 21, a student on Industrial Attachment with the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Empowerment; Sekinat Ogunremi, 24, from the Ministry of Justice; Aishat Gbadegeshin, 25, from the Ministry of Establishment and Training; Ganiyat Raji, from the Ministry of Science and Technology; and Mrs. Oluwatoyin Abiodun, 46, a staff of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.

The driver of the Lagos State government staff bus, Oluwaseun Osinbajo, has begged for forgiveness and blamed the accident on a mechanical fault in the bus. However, survivors said that he had his earpiece on while driving and ignored the signalman at the rail line. Authorities have said that he will be prosecuted. The survivors of the accident have expressed gratitude for their lives and have urged the government to take necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy doesn’t happen again.