Commuters along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and parts of Lagos State were stranded for hours on Thursday following a multiple accident on the Otedola Bridge.
Traffic congestion on the expressway was further compounded by ongoing repairs on the Kara Bridge, where a section of the road has been blocked by construction company Julius Berger.
workers, travellers, market women, and other road users were severely affected by the gridlock. Traffic on the outbound Lagos section was brought to a standstill after two heavy-duty trailers carrying sand and granite collided on the Otedola Bridge in the early hours of the day.
Officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigeria Police, and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were on site clearing debris left by the accident. As a result, outbound traffic from Otedola toward Lagos stretched to the end of the Ketu area, while congestion extended as far as 30 kilometres toward Magboro.
The intersection at FATGBEMS Petrol Station was completely locked down, forcing some commuters to trek to their destinations.
Many commuters expressed frustration over the long hours spent in traffic. Mrs Anike Idowu, a market woman at Ketu Market, said she had been trapped for close to four hours. “I cannot leave my goods and take a bike to Ketu market. I have been stuck here since I left Osun State to buy plantain,” she said.
Some travellers heading to a funeral in Ijebu Ode also lamented their ordeal. Mr Aina Shodunke said, “We were supposed to reach Ijebu Ode by 10 a.m., but at 11 a.m., we were still stuck on the Lagos section of the expressway, not knowing when we would get out.”
A LASTMA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, attributed the accident to recklessness by the drivers involved. “Articulated vehicle drivers on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway are too careless. There was no impediment where the accident occurred. Some drivers are not literate and do not follow traffic rules,” he said.