Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have stopped commuters and other members of the public from drinking beer that spilled onto the road after a truck loaded with alcoholic beverages crashed at Abalti Barracks, inward Ojuelegba, Lagos.

The accident occurred on Tuesday when a Fuso truck conveying beer reportedly crashed into a dispatch rider and two vehicles, leaving the rider seriously injured and scattering bottles of beer across the roadway.

The LASTMA Public Relations Officer, Adebayo Taofeeq, disclosed the incident while speaking with PUNCH Metro in a telephone interview.

Taofeeq explained that the truck driver was travelling at high speed when he attempted to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of him.

According to him, the driver failed to apply his brakes early enough and subsequently swerved, hitting a dispatch rider before crashing into two other vehicles.

“It was at high speed. The driver had to stop, but it was too late for him. He did not apply his brakes.

Once he applied them, suddenly, he was going to hit the car ahead of him, so he swerved to hit the car head-on,” Taofeeq said.

He added that the truck knocked down the dispatch rider before hitting another vehicle.

The vehicles involved in the crash were identified as a Lexus Jeep with registration number LXR 960JS, a Hyundai Jeep with registration number KTU 12JS, and a dispatch motorcycle with registration number AAA 151QT.

Taofeeq said the dispatch rider sustained serious injuries and was rescued by LASTMA personnel before being taken for medical treatment.

LASTMA officials also worked alongside the police to manage the scene and prevent the accident from causing further traffic congestion.

However, the crash took an unusual turn after several bottles of beer being transported by the truck fell onto the road.

According to Taofeeq, some members of the public immediately began picking up the unbroken bottles and drinking the beer.

He said LASTMA officials intervened upon arriving at the scene and stopped people from consuming the spilled drinks.

“In the course of the accident, there were some bottles of beer that fell. Some people started picking one bottle after the other.

But immediately when we arrived at the accident scene, we stopped people from engaging in it and drinking the beer that was scattered,” he said.

Some commuters reportedly stopped while travelling to work to pick up the spilled beer, while others were seen attempting to collect the drink in plastic bottles.

The unusual development attracted attention at the accident scene, with members of the public reacting differently to the sight of commuters treating the crash site like an impromptu source of free drinks.

In a statement posted on its official X account, LASTMA confirmed that the crash involved a Fuso truck loaded with beer, a Lexus Jeep, a Hyundai Jeep and an Okada.

The agency said the accident occurred at Abalti Barracks, inward Ojuelegba, adding that the contents of the truck spilled onto the roadway.

“Our personnel are on the ground managing the situation; men of the Nigeria Police are also present, while LAWMA officials are clearing the broken bottles from the roadway,” LASTMA stated.

The agency urged motorists passing through the area to exercise caution.

Taofeeq said LASTMA personnel moved quickly to clear the accident scene and prevent further traffic disruption or another crash.

“We quickly cleared everything in a way to avoid any further traffic congestion or accident,” he said.

The LASTMA spokesperson also used the incident to reinforce the agency’s Ember Months road-safety campaign, urging motorists to avoid reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.

He said the agency commenced its Ember Months campaign on September 1 because of the increased movement, festivities and road activities associated with the period.

“I want to appeal to members of the public to avoid reckless driving. They must not drink and drive,” Taofeeq said.

He further disclosed that LASTMA had introduced a free emergency hotline, 3367, for members of the public to report reckless driving, road crashes and other incidents requiring the agency’s intervention.

“For everybody that has observed any reckless driving, any accident or any incident on the road, they should call 3367 so that the attention of LASTMA is promptly brought to it,” he said.

He urged motorists and other road users to drive responsibly and cooperate with traffic officials, particularly during the Ember Months period.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a nationwide integrity perception survey to assess the experiences and views of its officers and stakeholders on corruption, transparency and integrity within the Service.

The 2026 Customs Integrity Perception Survey, approved by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, is being conducted in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) under its Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion Programme.

The exercise began on Monday, September 28, and is scheduled to run until October 9, 2026.

According to the NCS, the survey is designed to obtain candid feedback from officers and stakeholders on integrity and anti-corruption issues, while identifying areas requiring improvement in the Service’s operations.

A directive issued to Customs Public Relations Officers across the various commands said the exercise would provide the Service with a clearer understanding of the perceptions, experiences and views of officers and stakeholders regarding integrity, transparency and anti-corruption.

The directive, released to journalists on Monday by the Customs Federal Operations Unit, Zone “B”, Kaduna, described the survey as an important exercise aimed at strengthening the Service’s integrity mechanisms and improving operational processes.

“The objective is to obtain genuine feedback that can contribute to strengthening integrity mechanisms, improving operational processes and supporting the Service’s continuous institutional improvement,” the directive stated.

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone “B”, covers Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kwara states.

Survey to remain anonymous
The Nigeria Customs Service emphasised that the survey would be anonymous and urged officers and men to participate actively and provide honest responses based on their experiences.

The Service said the credibility of the exercise would depend largely on the quality and candour of the feedback received from participants.

Officers and men will participate through a dedicated online survey platform, while eligible stakeholders will access a separate platform using one-time passwords provided through Customs Public Relations Units.

The NCS said 5,000 one-time passwords had been generated for the stakeholder component of the exercise.

“Designated quantities of the OTPs will be made available through the Public Relations Unit at Headquarters, Zonal Offices and Area Commands for onward distribution to eligible stakeholders,” the Service stated.

Command PROs have consequently been directed to ensure that the OTPs allocated to their respective commands are properly managed and distributed to eligible participants.

Customs targets agents, importers, exporters, others
The stakeholder component of the survey targets a wide range of participants who interact with the Customs Service in the course of their businesses and operations.

Those eligible to participate include licensed customs agents, importers, exporters, bonded warehouse and terminal operators, shipping lines and airline operators, free trade zone operators, excise traders and transporters.

The Service directed Command PROs to work closely with Customs Area Controllers and relevant operational units to ensure effective mobilisation throughout the survey period.

The PROs are also expected to use established communication channels and stakeholder engagement platforms to sensitise eligible participants about the exercise.

Particular emphasis, according to the directive, is to be placed on informing participants that the survey is anonymous and intended to capture their genuine perceptions and experiences regarding integrity and anti-corruption within the NCS.

Survey findings expected to support reforms
The NCS described the exercise as a Service-wide integrity and institutional improvement initiative, stressing that broad participation would help ensure that the findings reflect the experiences of officers and stakeholders across its different operational environments.

“The quality and breadth of participation will help ensure that the feedback generated reflects the experiences and perceptions of officers and stakeholders across the various operational environments of the Nigeria Customs Service,” it stated.

The Service said the outcome of the exercise would contribute to the continuous improvement of its operations, strengthening of integrity mechanisms and reinforcement of public confidence.

“A strong level of participation across Commands will contribute to generating valuable feedback for the continuous improvement of NCS operations, strengthening of integrity mechanisms and reinforcement of public confidence in the Service,” the statement added.

Command PROs have been reminded of the October 9 deadline and directed to liaise with Customs Area Controllers and relevant units to maximise participation before the survey closes.

The initiative comes as the Customs Service seeks to use feedback from both its personnel and external stakeholders to identify integrity-related challenges and areas where operational processes can be strengthened.

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, have foiled two separate abduction attempts and rescued 10 victims during operations in different parts of Zamfara State.

The operations were carried out on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Maru and Tsafe Local Government Areas of the state, according to the task force.

The Media Information Officer of JTF North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

Danja said troops of Sector 2 rescued four villagers who had been abducted by terrorists at Kade Daba village in Kanoma District, Maru Local Government Area.

According to him, the troops received information that terrorists had abducted villagers in the community and immediately mobilised to the area.

He said the troops engaged the terrorists upon arrival, leading to the immediate rescue of three victims.

“Troops swiftly mobilised to the location and engaged the terrorists, resulting in the immediate rescue of three victims,” Danja said.

He added that the troops subsequently carried out further exploitation of the area, during which another victim was rescued, bringing the total number of rescued villagers in the operation to four.

Troops foil abduction along Tsafe-Funtua Road
In a separate operation along the Tsafe-Funtua Road, troops conducting a picketing operation heard sporadic gunshots ahead of their position at Kwanoni.

Danja said the troops immediately moved towards the direction of the gunfire and encountered terrorists withdrawing through the surrounding high ground.

He said the troops engaged the terrorists, forcing them to flee the area.

“The troops engaged the terrorists, forcing them to flee from the area in disarray,” he said.

According to the JTF spokesman, the terrorists had attempted to abduct occupants of a Sharon vehicle before the arrival of the troops.

He said the terrorists set the vehicle ablaze during the incident, but the occupants managed to escape before it was completely engulfed by fire.

“Fortunately, the occupants were able to escape before the vehicle was completely engulfed by fire,” Danja said.

The troops also rescued six persons from another vehicle that reportedly lost control as a result of the gunshots.

Danja said the affected vehicle was later towed away from the main road to allow traffic to flow freely along the route.

The Theatre Commander of JTF North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, commended the troops for their vigilance, prompt response and professionalism during the operations.

The commander said the efforts demonstrated the commitment of the task force to protecting civilians travelling along major routes and residents of communities within its area of responsibility.

He reaffirmed the command’s determination to sustain offensive operations against terrorists and restrict their freedom of movement across the North-West.

The commander also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information about suspicious movements and activities to the nearest security agency or through appropriate official channels.

The latest operations come amid continued security challenges in parts of the North-West, where military and other security agencies have sustained operations against terrorist groups and criminal networks.