Lagos Bus-Train Accident: Victims Compensation Committee Releases Recommendations

• A bus conveying Lagos civil servants collided with an oncoming train in the morning of March 9, 2023.

• The accident involved 102 people, with two dying at the scene and four passing away at the hospital during resuscitation.

• The driver of the bus, who was blamed for the accident, is set to be charged with manslaughter.

Eko Hot Blog reports that a nine-member committee set up by the Lagos State Government in the aftermath of the Bus-Train collision of Thursday, 9th March 2023, has submitted its report.

The government made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday.

It said the findings of the report showed that the accident had six fatalities from a total of 102 passengers involved, with 85 passengers on board the Staff Bus, while 17 were on the train.

The committee as part of its recommendations advised: Death benefits from the Group Life Insurance for families of the deceased, provision of employment to one employable child of the deceased and a concessionary scholarship to one of the deceased’s biological children.

Injured accident victims were also recommended in the report to be paid full insurance claims as compensation while any staff victim with a permanent disability is also to be compensated in line with the Group Life Insurance Policy of the State, among other benefits.

“The committee, which consists of Permanent Secretaries from relevant Ministries of the State Public Service, was set up to identify the families of the deceased and their dependents, as well as the injured officers, and to determine appropriate compensation packages for each affected family and staff of the State Government,” the statement reads.

The Lagos government added that a final decision on the committee’s recommendations will be taken by the State Executive Council and further directives communicated by the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola.