Tragedy struck in the early hours of Thursday, when over 20 passengers narrowly escaped death in multiple auto crashes at Kara Bridge, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The accident occurred inward Arepo, Lagos-Ogun boundary.

The accident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred at about 8.45 a.m. It led to a chaotic gridlock, leaving motorists stranded.

At press time, emergency responders were on the ground to ensure the removal of the vehicles impeding the free flow of traffic.

The responders include the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA; Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA; men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service; Police, among others.

The accident involved a 40-foot containerised truck, a luxury bus with number plates KPP921ZW, belonging to Sopuru Chukwu Motors, a Hiace bus, and a van used for commercial purposes.

The incident shut down about 99 percent of the road, thereby causing gridlock.

Meanwhile, the traffic officers are currently controlling traffic, pending the arrival of recovery vehicles.

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, attributed the accident to overspeeding and recklessness.

Oke-Osanyitolu confirmed that the 20 casualties, yet to be identified, were transported to nearby hospitals.

The ones with minor injuries were being treated on-site.

The Lagos government says at least 70 men experienced domestic violence perpetrated by their wives in the last one year.

Bolaji Cecilia-Dada, commissioner for women affairs and poverty alleviation in Lagos, spoke on Wednesday during the ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the office for his second term, as governor of Lagos.

Cecilia-Dada said the ministry recorded 662 cases of sexual violence, noting that 21 women did not give sufficient information about their situation.

“The domestic violence unit recorded the total number of sexual violence cases from 2023 to date. Through the ministry, 23 males came to report cases of gender-based violence, and 247 women also came,” the commissioner said.

“Through our toll-free lines, 43 males reported and 324 females reported, and 21 women did not give adequate information. So a total of 662 cases were reported from 2023 till date.”

She said the state government also sensitised women at the market and riverine areas during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in 2023.

The commissioner added that the ministry, in collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), initiated the purple project to enable prompt response to cases of sexual and gender-based violence.

Also speaking, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, executive secretary of the Lagos Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), said between September 2022 and July 2023, at least 340 men reported experiencing domestic violence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Hadi Sirika, former aviation minister, over an alleged contract fraud.

Sirika was arraigned alongside Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, his brother; and Enginos Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Abubakar; on a 10-count amended charge dated May 13 and filed on May 14, 2024.

Sirika is alleged to have abused his office by awarding contracts worth N19.4 billion to Enginos Nigeria Limited.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

On May 14, Sirika’s arraignment was stalled because the defendants did not show up in court.

Sirika is also standing trial on another six-count charge bordering on the same offences.

He was arraigned on May 9 alongside Fatima, his daughter; Jalal Hamma, his son-in-law; and Al-Duraq Investment Limited; over an alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N100 million each.

Sirika was aviation minister in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.

The EFCC began investigating the alleged contract fraud against Sirika while he was still in office.

He also reportedly met with investigators at the time.

The EFCC first detained Sirika on April 23.