World-renowned Nigerian-British boxer, Anthony Joshua, narrowly escaped death on Monday after a serious road accident along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in the Makun area of Ogun State, which claimed the lives of two persons.
The crash occurred shortly after 11:00 a.m. in front of Sinoma, before the Danco Filling Station, near the Sagamu Interchange on the Ibadan-bound lane. Joshua was travelling in a Lexus SUV with registration number KRD 850 HN, as part of a two-vehicle convoy that included a Pajero SUV carrying his security detail.
Eyewitnesses said the Lexus SUV collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that were initially unclear. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Sector Command, later attributed the accident to over-speeding and wrongful overtaking.
According to an eyewitness who participated in the rescue, the Lexus had four occupants, including Joshua, who was seated at the back behind the driver. Two passengers — one seated beside the driver and another beside Joshua — died on the spot.
“Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down vehicles for help. FRSC officials arrived shortly after. Sadly, two occupants died at the scene,” the eyewitness said.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Babaseyi Oluseyi, who said Joshua and other injured persons were immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
“The Ogun State Police Command confirms a road accident today in front of Sinoma, before Danco, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Anthony Joshua and other injured persons have been taken to the hospital. Further updates will be communicated,” Oluseyi stated.
In a separate statement, the FRSC disclosed that five persons were involved in the crash, with one injured, two unhurt, and two killed. The agency explained that the driver of the Lexus SUV wrongfully overtook from the right at high speed and rammed into the stationary truck.
Anthony Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries and was rushed to the hospital by security personnel attached to him. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the Livewell Hospital Morgue in Sagamu.
Videos and photos from the scene, showing rescue efforts by bystanders and emergency officials, have since circulated on social media, drawing an outpouring of concern from fans across Nigeria and beyond.
Joshua, who has family roots in Sagamu, Ogun State, is known to occasionally spend time in the area during visits to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command and FRSC have assured the public that a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident is ongoing, while expressing condolences to the families of the deceased.
