Anthony Joshua car crash sparks fresh concerns over roads in Nigeria

British boxing star Anthony Joshua is recovering from minor injuries after a car crash in Nigeria that tragically killed two of his close associates, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

The wreck, which occurred Monday near Lagos, has intensified concerns over the alarming frequency of road accidents across the West African nation.

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medallist, is currently under “observation” in hospital and is in a “stable condition,” according to his promoter, Matchroom Boxing.

The statement confirmed the deaths of Ghami, Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, a trainer, describing them as long-term friends and team members.

Just hours before the fatal collision, Joshua and Ayodele had shared social media clips of themselves playing table tennis together.

Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps attributed the accident, which took place on a major highway connecting Lagos and Ogun state, to “excessive speed and wrongful overtaking.”

This led to the vehicle colliding with a stationary truck at the roadside. Witnesses, however, suggested the car’s tyre had burst at high speed.

Joshua had recently returned to the ring, securing a victory against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December, a fight he used to improve his fitness for future title contests.

Tributes have poured in for Ghami and Ayodele.

Mustafa Briggs, a friend of Ayodele, described him to UK broadcaster Sky News as “pure-hearted and sincere,” adding, “he had not a bad intention or a bad bone in his body. He loved life, he enjoyed life.”

Outside Ghami’s Evolve Gyms in London, bouquets of flowers have been laid, and the establishment was temporarily closed on Tuesday to mourn its “beloved owner.”

The high-profile crash has cast a renewed spotlight on Nigeria’s perilous road network, where accidents are a common occurrence.

Data from the country’s Federal Road Safety Corps reveals a grim picture, with 5,421 deaths recorded in 9,570 road accidents in 2024 alone – an increase of 340 fatalities compared to the previous year.

Experts point to a confluence of factors, including dilapidated infrastructure, lax enforcement of traffic laws, and driver indiscipline, as contributors to these statistics.

A significant hazard on Nigerian thoroughfares is the prevalence of stationary trucks, often in poor condition, which frequently cause massive gridlocks and are implicated in numerous accidents.

Ache Ogu, CEO of the Road Accident Prevention Network Centre, an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, told The AP: “The prevalence of accidents in Nigeria is a serious issue. Most of the trucks are not in order, and the law enforcement agency needs to step up its efforts.”

Monisola Abosede, a 27-year-old marketer in Lagos, who has been involved in two accidents this December, blamed the city’s “heavy traffic combined with the bad state of its road network,” noting that “everyone is in a rush to get somewhere.”

The boxing community has expressed its shock and sorrow. British heavyweight Tyson Fury posted on Instagram: “This is so sad. May god give them a good bed in heaven.”

Chris Eubank Jr, a middleweight contender, offered his condolences on X: “Thank god our heavyweight champ survived that horrible car crash. And pray for the two fallen soldiers Latz & Sina & their families. I knew both … they were genuinely good men. Rest in Peace boys.”

Women’s bantamweight boxer Shannon Courtenay, who fought on the undercard of Joshua’s recent bout, shared a photo with Joshua on Instagram, writing: “As well as Sina and Latz please keep the big man (Joshua) in your prayers. No man should have to go through and witness what he went through today losing his two best friends.”

Wladimir Klitschko, who famously fought Joshua in 2017, also shared his sympathies on X: “I’m deeply saddened to hear about AJ and his close-knit group of friends.

“Having had the pleasure of engaging in an unforgettable battle with AJ, I’ve always regarded him as a true class act who commands my utmost respect. My heart goes out to him, and I wish him and his loved ones all the best during this difficult time.”