A commercial bus driver named Ibrahim slumped and died on Tuesday evening after stepping out to inspect his vehicle on the Apete-Sango route in Ibadan, Oyo State. The incident happened around 6:30pm near Apete Garage in Ido Local Government Area.
Ibrahim was returning from Sango with passengers when the bus stopped moving shortly after crossing Apete Bridge. He got out to check what was wrong. Some passengers also came down to help push the bus. While he was inspecting the vehicle, he suddenly collapsed and died before anyone could get him to a hospital.
Fellow commercial drivers and residents gathered at the scene after the collapse. The passengers were left to find alternative means of transportation.
The cause of death has not been established. As of the time of reporting, the incident had not been reported to the police. The spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed that the command had not received a report on the incident.
No medical cause should be inferred from the circumstances. The death drew attention because it happened while Ibrahim was carrying passengers and dealing with a problem with his vehicle.
The Apete-Sango route is a busy corridor in the Ido Local Government Area, used by commuters moving between residential neighborhoods and the commercial hubs of Ibadan. Commercial buses, often referred to as danfo or korope depending on their size, are a primary mode of transport for many residents of the city. Drivers on these routes typically work long shifts, navigating traffic and passenger demands from early morning until late evening.
The death of a driver mid-route is a rare but not unheard-of occurrence in Nigeria's transport sector. In previous years, similar incidents have been reported in Lagos and Abuja, where drivers collapsed behind the wheel or shortly after stopping. Those cases were often linked to undiagnosed health conditions, though official confirmations were frequently delayed or never released.
Tuesday's incident left passengers stranded at a moment when the evening rush was building. The bus had been moving along a stretch of road that connects the Apete area to Sango, a route that sees heavy traffic during peak hours. When the bus stopped, other motorists had to maneuver around it as the crowd gathered.
The Oyo State Police Command has not opened an investigation, according to Ayanlade. It remains unclear whether a report will be filed or whether an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
The body was not taken to a hospital, according to the reports. The scene was left to the gathering of drivers and residents, who dispersed after the initial commotion. The passengers who had been on the bus made their way onward by other means.
According to Pulse.ng.
