Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has been officially discharged from the hospital and declared clinically fit to continue his recovery at home.
A Somber Recovery
A joint statement released by Gbenga Omotoso, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, and Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor, confirmed his discharge on Wednesday. However, the joy of his survival is overshadowed by grief, with the statement noting that the boxing star is currently “heavy-hearted and full of emotions” over the tragic loss of his two close friends.
Identities of the Deceased
The statement identified the victims of the crash as Lateef Ayodele and Cina Gami. Before retiring to recuperate, Joshua and his mother visited a funeral home in Lagos to pay their final respects as the bodies were being prepared for repatriation.
The statement read:
“The governments of Lagos and Ogun states, once again, commiserate with the families of the two young men – Lateef Ayodele and Cina Gami – who tragically and unfortunately lost their lives in the road accident involving Anthony Joshua on the 29th Dec 2025.
“We pray that the Almighty grant the repose of their souls whilst granting their families and loved ones the fortitude to bear this very sad and painful loss.
“Anthony and his mother were at the funeral home in Lagos this afternoon to pay their final respects to his two departed friends as they were being prepared for repatriation scheduled for later this evening.
“Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu deeply appreciate the public concern and show of love and affection over this very sad and unfortunate incident.”
The officials also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support and commended the medical team at Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, for their care.
FRSC Blames Speed and Wrongful Overtaking
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has shed more light on the cause of the accident, which occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Speaking on Channels Television, the FRSC Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Oyewole, attributed the crash to human error, specifically excessive speed and a dangerous overtaking maneuver.
Oyewole explained:
“We do speak about overspeeding and wrongful overtaking. Human factors will come into play every time there is a crash.
“What happened was that the driver who was involved in that ghastly accident involving Anthony Joshua was on a very high speed. He wrongfully overtook and hit a stationed vehicle that was parked at the extreme shoulder of the road.”
He further noted that the nature of the impact made it nearly impossible for the passengers on the right side to survive.
“There was no way he could have saved every other person in that vehicle, but fortunately enough, the side that had impact on the vehicle was the right-hand side that he wrongfully overtook and hit the truck,”
Rescue Details
It was also confirmed that following the crash, Joshua and the driver were immediately rescued from the scene by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to his security detail and rushed to the hospital.