British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was involved in a highway crash on Dec. 29 on the Lagos–Ibadan road. Two of his companions, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, died at the scene; Joshua and the driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, suffered minor injuries. Kayode, 46, has been charged with reckless and dangerous driving causing death and other offences and is being held on five million naira bail. Preliminary investigations suggest excessive speed and a burst tyre were factors in the collision.
Anthony Joshua's Driver Charged After Deadly Lagos–Ibadan Highway Crash
Truck being towed at accident site on December 29, 2025 in Sagamu, Nigeria. / Credit: Temiloluwa Johnson / Getty Images
Nigerian authorities have charged the driver of a vehicle carrying British boxer Anthony Joshua after a December 29 collision on the busy Lagos–Ibadan highway that left two of Joshua’s companions dead.
Charges and Legal Status
The driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, has been charged with reckless and dangerous driving causing death, driving without a valid national driver’s licence, and driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm and damage to property, police spokesman Oluseyi Babaseyi told Agence France-Presse. Bail was set at five million naira (about $3,500) with two sureties; Kayode remains in custody until he meets the bail conditions. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 20.
British boxer Anthony Joshua gets into an emergency responders' vehicle after sustaining minor injuries in a car crash, in Ogun State, Nigeria, Dec. 29, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. / Credit: Sodiq Ayo/via REUTERS
What Happened
On Dec. 29, a Lexus SUV carrying Joshua, Kayode and two friends struck a stationary truck on the Lagos–Ibadan highway in southwest Nigeria. Preliminary inquiries by the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency in Ogun state indicate the SUV was travelling at excessive speed and suffered a burst tyre before the collision.
Victims and Injuries
Police confirmed that two of Joshua’s companions — Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami — were pronounced dead at the scene. British media reported Ghami was Joshua’s long-time strength and conditioning coach and Ayodele was his personal trainer. Joshua and Kayode sustained minor injuries; Joshua was observed at Lagos’ Lagoon Hospital and released on New Year’s Eve.
Context and Next Steps
The crash highlights Nigeria’s broader road-safety challenges: data from the Federal Road Safety Commission show 5,421 deaths occurred in 9,570 road accidents in 2024, according to previous reporting by CBS News. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the collision and to establish whether additional charges or safety recommendations will follow.
Note: The police statement and preliminary traffic-agency findings are the basis for the charges; legal proceedings and further investigations will clarify responsibility.
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