The 2026 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon was overshadowed on Saturday by a disturbing incident in which an ambulance assigned to the event struck a spectator along the race route.
The accident occurred on February 14 during the 11th staging of the marathon, as thousands of runners competed across major routes in Lagos. A video circulating widely on social media shows the medical vehicle moving within the race corridor before hitting a bystander, prompting public concern over safety measures at the event.
Reports indicate the incident happened while both the 42-kilometre and 10-kilometre races were ongoing across designated routes in Victoria Island and Lekki, with the presence of the ambulance close to runners and spectators causing panic at the scene.
Ahead of the race, the Lagos State Government had announced extensive traffic diversions, stating that adjoining roads would be closed to unauthorised vehicles between midnight and 12:30 p.m. to protect roughly 28,000 registered participants.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, had assured residents that officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and other security agencies would be deployed along the race corridors to enforce restrictions and maintain order.
While authorities said the diversions were necessary to ensure a smooth and successful race, the ambulance incident has raised fresh concerns about coordination among organisers, medical teams and traffic officials, particularly regarding vehicle access within restricted marathon routes.