British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been involved in a car crash on the Ogun–Lagos expressway in south-west Nigeria, an incident that local media say claimed the lives of two people.

The 36-year-old has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria. 

According to the police, Joshua had minor injuries but is "fine", while local media reports say two people died in the crash and that a Lexus and a Pajero were involved in the crash.

"Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him," he tells the newspaper.

"There was also a passenger sitting beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed. His security detail was in the vehicle behind them before the crash."

A relative of Anthony Joshua, who asked not to be named, said the news of the crash has "come to the family as a shock to the family".

"We are hoping for his speedy recovery and also the people who passed away - I pray for the departed to rest in peace," the relative says.

Joshua was travelling from Lagos to the family home, they added.

"He's normally coming around for the new year. We haven't seen him so we were expecting him." 

The accident happened this morning, when Joshua was travelling along a bustling expressway, seemingly in the back seat of a Lexus.

The road, commonly known as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, has been described by local media as one of Nigeria's deadliest roads.

The Lagos-Ibadan expressway connects Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state and Lagos, Nigeria's largest city. It spans 127 km (79 miles).

It gets hectic during this time of year as many Nigerians travel back to the country from the diaspora to celebrate the festive period.

Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua was born in Watford, England, but has often spoken proudly about his Nigerian heritage.

The Joshua family is well known in Sagamu, in south-west Nigeria, and traces its ancestry there across several generations. 

His great-grandfather, Daniel Adebambo Joshua, was a wealthy landowner and merchant who is believed to have adopted the surname Joshua after converting to Christianity.

One of the most evident signs of Joshua's pride in his heritage is a tattoo of the African continent on his right shoulder, with Nigeria clearly outlined. 

During his fights, the Nigerian flag is regularly displayed alongside the Union Jack in the ring, including after his victory over Jake Paul earlier this month.

In Ogun, where Joshua is a sports ambassador, there are plans to build a new indoor boxing venue named after the former heavyweight world champion.