This tragedy follows closely behind a similar incident in Oshodi, where a man was also killed by a train just ten days earlier.
According to Olufemi Oke-Osayintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the agency received distress calls early in the morning.
Upon dispatch, their response team arrived at the scene shortly after 9:00 AM, where they found the victim’s body on the railway tracks.
Initial investigations revealed that the man had been struck by a moving train.
The agency promptly recovered the body and transferred it to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) for further handling and processing.
Oke-Osayintolu expressed concern over the recurring nature of such accidents and the dangers posed by unauthorised activities along train tracks.
The ongoing issue of illegal trading along railway lines has been a focus for local authorities.
Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Task Force, emphasised the agency’s commitment to addressing this problem.
Despite previous efforts to remove traders from these hazardous areas, many continue to operate defiantly.
Gbadeyan noted that last week, task force officials had successfully dislodged several traders at Mile 2, but challenges remain in curbing this dangerous practice.
He reiterated the importance of maintaining safety around train tracks and vowed to increase enforcement actions against those who disregard warnings.
“Last week, we were at Mile 2 and we dislodged some of the traders who were trading on the track. The problem is that these traders have remained defiant despite repeated warnings and arrests.
“We will intensify our efforts in arresting the defiant ones who had refused to heed warnings. The train tracks are not places to ply your trade,” Gbadeyan was quoted as saying.
However, Lagos residents are left grappling with these tragedies, urging for stricter measures to protect lives and prevent future incidents.
