World heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, narrowly escaped death on Monday following a road accident along the busy Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in the Makun area of Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 11:00 a.m., close to Danco Filling Station, Makun, inward the Sagamu Interchange on the Ibadan-bound section of the expressway.
Joshua was reportedly travelling in a Lexus SUV with registration number KRD 850 HN when it rammed into a stationary truck under circumstances that are yet to be fully determined. The Lexus was said to be part of a two-vehicle convoy, accompanied by a Pajero SUV carrying his security detail.
According to an eyewitness, there were four people inside the Lexus at the time of the crash, with Joshua seated behind the driver. While the boxing star sustained only minor injuries, two occupants of the vehicle were said to have died instantly.
“It was a serious crash. Joshua was sitting behind the driver with another passenger beside him, while one person was also seated beside the driver. His security team was in the vehicle behind. Immediately after the accident, we mobilised to rescue the victims and flagged down vehicles for help before FRSC officials arrived,” the eyewitness said.
Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived shortly after the crash to control the scene and evacuate the victims.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Babaseyi Oluseyi, along with the FRSC spokesperson, Afolabi Odunsi, said investigations were ongoing and that more details would be made available in due course.
What you should know
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway is one of Nigeria’s busiest and most accident-prone highways, with frequent crashes linked to speeding, poor visibility, and broken-down or stationary heavy-duty vehicles.
Anthony Joshua, a former unified heavyweight champion, has strong ties to Nigeria and often visits the country.
The accident has once again drawn attention to road safety concerns on the expressway, particularly the dangers posed by unmarked stationary trucks and delayed emergency response in high-traffic corridors.
