An overturned truck at the Otedola Bridge in the early hours of Friday caused a severe traffic gridlock along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, leaving thousands of motorists stranded for hours.
Reports according to The PUNCH indicate that traffic congestion stretched from the Otedola Bridge back to the Berger axis, as motorists heading into Lagos scrambled for alternative routes to avoid the gridlock.
Confirming the incident in a post on Facebook, the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command disclosed that the situation was worsened by a secondary accident that occurred moments after the first crash.
According to the police, a fully loaded truck overturned at the Otedola Bridge, spilling its consignments across the road and blocking almost the entire carriageway.
The post read, “Two serious accidents have occurred at Otedola Bridge, inward Lagos.
“In the first incident, a fully loaded truck overturned, spilling its consignments onto the road and covering about 90 per cent of the carriageway. The second accident occurred directly behind the first crash, compounding traffic disruption in the area.”
The police noted that emergency responders had been alerted to the scene to manage the situation and restore traffic flow.
“Emergency responders have been alerted. Motorists are advised to drive with caution around the area,” the statement added.
Also confirming the incidents, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, told PUNCH Online in a telephone conversation that LASTMA officers had been deployed to the scene.
According to him, officials of the agency were actively engaged in rescue operations and traffic control to ease the congestion caused by the accidents.
Bellnews reports that as of the time of filing this report, traffic remained heavy along the axis, with many commuters expressing frustration over the delays caused by the crash.
Pictures shared online showed long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres, as traffic officers worked to clear the road and restore normalcy.