By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
A routine drive along Nigeria’s busiest highway turned tragic on Monday afternoon when a high-speed collision on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway claimed two lives and left global boxing icon Anthony Joshua narrowly alive.
The fatal crash occurred around 12:00 noon on December 29, 2025, near the Sinoma area close to Sagamu, Ogun State, involving a black Lexus Jeep conveying the world-renowned heavyweight boxer and a stationary commercial Sinotruck parked by the roadside.
According to preliminary reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Sector Command, the incident was reported immediately, triggering a rapid emergency response.
FRSC operatives arrived at the scene within three minutes, a response window that officials say proved critical in preventing further casualties and secondary crashes on the busy corridor.
Rescue teams cordoned off traffic, extracted victims from the wreckage, and coordinated evacuations under intense midday traffic pressure.
Five adult males were involved in the crash.
Two occupants died on the spot
One sustained injuries and was rushed for medical attention,
Two others escaped unhurt
Anthony Joshua was rescued alive, sustaining minor injuries, according to FRSC officials.
The injured victim was taken to hospital, while the remains of the deceased were deposited at Livewell Morgue, Ajaka, Sagamu.
The Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division (MTD) has taken over further investigation and documentation.
Early findings point to a familiar but deadly combination: excessive speed and wrongful overtaking.
Investigators believe the Lexus Jeep, suspected to be travelling above the legally prescribed speed limit, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre before slamming into the stationary truck, which was reportedly properly parked along the road.
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, despite its modern design, remains one of Nigeria’s most unforgiving highways where speed turns minor errors into fatal outcomes.
For road safety officials, the crash is a grim illustration of how status offers no immunity on Nigerian roads.
“Speed and dangerous overtaking remain among the leading causes of fatal crashes nationwide,” the FRSC said, warning that festive-season impatience often amplifies risk on high-speed corridors.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished Anthony Joshua and the injured survivor a speedy recovery.
He used the incident to renew calls for restraint, urging motorists to prioritise safety over haste, maintain lane discipline, and obey speed limits particularly during the high-traffic Yuletide period.
While the survival of a global sports figure has drawn national attention, road safety advocates say the deeper story lies elsewhere: two families mourning loved ones lost in seconds, and another reminder that Nigeria’s highways remain lethal when traffic rules are treated as optional.
As FRSC operatives cleared the wreckage and traffic resumed, the message from the asphalt was unmistakable on the road, fame fades, physics prevails, and speed kills.
