Tragedy as Young Woman Dies After Car Plunges Into Lagos Lagoon From Third Mainland Bridge

Lagos was thrown into mourning at the weekend after a 27-year-old woman, Aisha Maikudi Ibrahim, lost her life when her vehicle somersaulted and plunged into the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge.

According to reports, the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday. Ms. Ibrahim, a resident of Gbagada and an entrepreneur, was returning from an outing in Ikoyi when she spoke to her mother around 1 a.m., assuring her she would be home within 20 minutes.

By 2 a.m. her phone became unreachable, raising fears among her family. At dawn, her mother and elder sister set out in search of her and eventually discovered part of her vehicle sticking out of the lagoon.

Eyewitnesses said the car, a Toyota Camry with registration number LSR 384 BE, appeared to have somersaulted before plunging off the bridge. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed that Ms. Ibrahim was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

The rescue operation, however, has drawn criticism. Although officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), marine police and other responders were present at the scene, no immediate dive rescue was attempted. Instead, local divers demanded ₦400,000 before agreeing to recover her remains.

The body was eventually retrieved between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., nearly 12 hours after the crash, and later buried in line with Islamic rites.

Family members have described Ms. Ibrahim as a promising young woman whose life was cut short in tragic circumstances.

Her aunt lamented what she called the “commercialisation of human lives,” urging authorities to equip emergency agencies with trained divers and proper facilities so that lives can be saved in future incidents.

The Third Mainland Bridge, Nigeria’s longest bridge and one of Lagos’s busiest arteries, has been the scene of several fatal accidents over the years, often linked to speeding and loss of control by motorists.

The latest tragedy has once again sparked calls for stricter traffic enforcement and improved safety measures on the vital highway.