One person has been confirmed dead, and five others wounded following an early-morning multiple-car crash along the Kara Bridge, inward Mowe/Ibafo on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which left hundreds of motorists stranded and grounded economic activities.

While giving details about the accident, the FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, said the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan, involving five articulated trucks and one Toyota Sienna vehicle. 

“Preliminary investigation indicates that the crash resulted from speed violation and loss of control,” the Sector Public Education Officer, Elizabeth Jayeola, said in a statement. 

She said, “A total of seven adult males were involved in the crash. One person lost his life and one sustained injuries, while five others escaped unhurt.” 

According to her, as the rescue and recovery operations were ongoing, another crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos involving a Mazda commercial bus.

“The lone crash was caused by brake failure, leaving the driver seriously injured,” she said, but noted that the driver was promptly rescued by the FRSC emergency response team and taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for medical treatment. 

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), FRSC officials, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and police operatives are on the ground to manage the situation. Tow trucks were also present as officials continued recovery operations.

Following the crash, there is a significant traffic backlog extending to Otedola Bridge and beyond. The gridlock has also affected the Isheri-Olowora axis and Ogunusi Road.

Commuters and motorists, including articulated vehicles, were left stranded following the accident. Many people heading inward and outward from Lagos were seen trekking to their destinations, while vehicles remained at a standstill on the ever-busy road. 

“To ease movement, officials have temporarily opened one-way traffic from Berger down to OPIC Turning,” LASTMA said in a statement on its X handle.

The FRSC advised motorists to use alternative routes where possible to avoid delays from the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor until recovery operations are completed.

It said motorists travelling outward from Lagos towards Ibadan may divert through the Ikorodu-Sagamu route. Those heading into Lagos are advised to consider alternative entry routes through the Lekki-Epe Expressway or the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway.

In a move aimed at improving the operational effectiveness of the  Nigerian Army and enhancing its capacity to respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the  Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen the country’s security architecture.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Onanuga said the approval “underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”

The expansion is part of the administration’s broader investment in the military, including the recruitment of additional personnel, acquisition of military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare and support for force modernisation.

“The expansion builds on the administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation,” the statement read.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically positioned across the country.

The Presidency said the creation of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City would improve military coordination and response time.

“The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide,” Onanuga stated.

The implementation of the restructuring will be carried out in two phases.

The first phase, which covers the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.

The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, will be completed by December 2026.

Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication and commitment to defending the nation.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to continue investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain “adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.”

The divisions and their areas of responsibility are:

1 Division Headquarters in Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states;

2 Division Headquarters in Ibadan, covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states;

3 Division Headquarters in Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states;

5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states;

6 Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states;

7 Division Headquarters in Maiduguri, covering Borno and Yobe states;

8 Division Headquarters in Sokoto, covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states;

9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states;

10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa states;

81 Division Headquarters in Lagos, covering Lagos and Ogun states;

82 Division Headquarters in Enugu, covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states; and

83 Division Headquarters in Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

A soldier, Private Mohammed Yusuf Amutu, has been declared wanted by the Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps over “his alleged involvement in the illegal sale and supply of military uniforms to terrorists and other criminal elements.”

The Corps announced this in a statement on Thursday signed by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, Maj. Oluwatope Aluko, saying preliminary investigations linked the soldier to the alleged illegal activities after he absconded from his unit.

According to the statement, Amutu, who was serving at the Nigerian Army Ordnance Kits Factory, “absconded from his unit on 3 June 2026.”

“Consequently, he has been declared wanted by the appropriate military authorities, while intensive efforts are underway to locate and apprehend him to face a full investigation and appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with extant military laws,” the statement added.

The Corps stressed that it had “zero tolerance for misconduct, indiscipline, or any act capable of compromising the operational effectiveness, integrity and reputation of the Nigerian Army or threatening national security.”

It warned that “any personnel found to have aided terrorists, criminals or other non-state actors through the unauthorized sale, diversion or distribution of military uniforms, accoutrements or other controlled items will be subjected to the full weight of military and civil laws.”

The Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could lead to the arrest of the wanted soldier, urging anyone with useful information to report to the nearest military formation or any security agency.

It also reassured Nigerians of its “unwavering commitment to accountability, professionalism and the protection of military assets,” adding that it would continue to strengthen internal control measures and ensure that every allegation of misconduct is thoroughly investigated while those found culpable are “held fully accountable.”