British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash in Nigeria, which killed two other people.
The former world champion was travelling in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos.
Photos from the scene showed the 36-year-old being helped out of the back seat of a black SUV, surrounded by what appears to be broken glass.
Five adult men were involved in the crash, Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said. Two died, two survived “unhurt”, and Joshua was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The crash took place on the busy Ogun–Lagos state expressway at around 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Monday.
The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus and a stationary red commercial truck.
The FRSC said the Lexus was “suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit”, based on preliminary findings.
It said the car appeared to have “lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre” and crashed into the stationary truck by the side of the road.
Pictures shared by the FRSC showed a wrecked car at the site of the crash, with a crowd of onlookers gathered around.
Joshua has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria, near the crash site.
He had been spending time in the country following his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.
Hours before the crash, Joshua posted a video to Instagram of him playing table tennis with another man. It is unclear exactly when or where the video was taken.
A relative of Joshua’s in Nigeria, who asked not to be named, has told the BBC that news of the crash came as a “shock” to the family.
They said they were hoping for his “speedy recovery” and offered prayers for those who died in the crash.
The relative confirmed that Joshua was travelling from Lagos to Ogun State when the accident happened. His family had been expecting him.
He was due to join relatives in Sagamu for New Year celebrations.
Local police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo said an investigation into the accident had been ordered.
By BBC News
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