By Ayomide OtItoju
Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has been discharged from hospital and declared clinically fit to continue recovery at home, following a road accident that claimed the lives of his two close friends.
A joint statement from Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and Ogun State Special Adviser on Information, Kayode Akinmade, confirmed Joshua’s discharge on Wednesday. The statement noted that Joshua remains “heavy-hearted and full of emotions” over the loss of Lateef Ayodele and Cina Gami, who died in the accident on December 29, 2025, in the Makun area of Ogun State.
“The governments of Lagos and Ogun states commiserate with the families of the two young men,” the statement read, adding prayers for the repose of their souls and fortitude for their families. Joshua and his mother reportedly visited the funeral home in Lagos to pay their respects before the repatriation of the deceased.
The Lagos and Ogun state governments expressed appreciation for public concern over the incident and acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s support throughout the process. They also thanked medical personnel at Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, who attended to Joshua and other injured individuals.
The accident occurred around 11 a.m. along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when the SUV carrying Joshua collided with a stationary truck. Footage from the scene showed the 35-year-old former champion being rescued from the wrecked vehicle with visible injuries.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ogun State Command attributed the crash to overspeeding and wrongful overtaking. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, FRSC Ogun PRO Afolabi Oyewole explained that the driver of Joshua’s vehicle was speeding and attempted a dangerous overtaking maneuver, striking the stationary truck.
Oyewole noted that the impact made it impossible for all occupants to avoid injury, but the collision occurred on the vehicle’s right-hand side, allowing Joshua and the driver to survive. Both were immediately taken to an undisclosed hospital by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) assigned to Joshua.
