No fewer than 87 people have lost their lives in 1,006 road accidents recorded across Lagos State between January and September 2025, according to data released by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

The agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ engagement forum themed “Safe Roads, Safe Lives… LASTMA Cares” held at its Oshodi headquarters. The event brought together representatives from traffic agencies, transport unions, motorists, security operatives, and students.

Bakare-Oki said the alarming figures underscore the human cost of traffic violations and poor road discipline across the state.

“From January to September 2025, LASTMA and partner agencies recorded over 3,200 traffic incidents, with nearly 60 per cent occurring along major corridors such as Ikorodu Road, Apapa–Oshodi Expressway, Third Mainland Bridge, and Lekki–Epe Expressway,” he said.

He added that between January and December 2024, Lagos recorded 2,051 accidents, 190 fatalities, and 1,075 injuries. However, between January and September 2025 alone, there were 1,006 accidents, 87 fatalities, and 666 injuries.

“These figures are far more than mere statistics they reflect lives lost and families forever changed,” he said. “Our call to action on road safety is both a strategic necessity and a moral obligation.”

Bakare-Oki noted that LASTMA had strengthened its operations ahead of the festive season by deploying over 2,500 officers to high-risk routes, refurbishing operational vehicles, and improving real-time communication systems. He also said the agency had expanded its public enlightenment campaigns through radio, digital platforms, and community outreach.

In his keynote address, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Sola Giwa, announced that LASTMA would begin 24-hour traffic monitoring starting Thursday, October 23, through January 2026.

He said the initiative, tagged Night Rapid Response Guard, was a proactive measure to address increased vehicular movement expected during the festive period.

“What we are doing today is to make stakeholders aware that we are entering a period of high traffic volume. The Night Rapid Response Guard will provide round-the-clock support on major corridors to respond swiftly to breakdowns, crashes, and obstructions,” Giwa explained.

He added that passenger inflow through airports and interstate routes typically increases by 30 per cent during the end-of-year season, putting immense pressure on Lagos roads.

“This season tests the very fabric of our traffic system, and that is why LASTMA rises to the occasion every year with renewed vigour and precision,” he said.

Representatives from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Army, and Nigeria Police commended LASTMA’s proactive measures and pledged collaboration to ensure road safety across the state.

Highlights of the forum included drama performances by school pupils under the LASTMA Safe School Advocacy Programme, aimed at promoting safety awareness among young people, and awards to outstanding agency personnel.

Nationwide, road crashes remain a significant public safety concern. According to FRSC data, 3,433 people were killed and 22,162 injured in 6,858 reported road accidents between January and September 2025.

Within the first quarter of the year alone, 73 deaths and 393 injuries were recorded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, underscoring the persistent challenge of road safety violations across Nigeria.