Truck crash triggers Lagos-Ibadan Expressway gridlock

A truck accident around the Kara Bridge area on Wednesday triggered a massive gridlock along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, leaving hundreds of motorists travelling from Lagos towards Ogun State stranded for several hours.

PidomNigeria Metro reports that travellers heading out of Lagos towards Ogun State were stranded for several hours, with the congestion lasting until about 12pm as motorists struggled to reach their destinations.

While inbound traffic to Lagos remained relatively free-flowing, commuters travelling towards Magboro, Ibafo and Mowe endured hours of delays, with queues stretching close to the Lagos State Secretariat as Lagos State Traffic Management Authority officials worked to clear the obstruction and restore normal traffic flow.

In an update shared via its official X handle on Wednesday, LASTMA said vehicular movement was temporarily halted to enable recovery teams to safely clear the accident scene.

“The traffic backlog has stretched to New Garage and beyond, causing delays for motorists travelling towards Ogun State,” the agency stated.

Providing further details on the incident, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, in a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Afolabi Olawale, said the accident occurred at about 3 a.m. when a 40-foot bucket trailer fully laden with bags of flour overturned after crashing into the side rail of Kara Bridge.

The statement read, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was caused by overloading, which resulted in the driver losing control of the vehicle.

“No loss of life was recorded. However, the driver sustained severe injuries and was immediately evacuated to the nearest hospital by officers of the Nigeria Police Force for medical attention.

“Swift action was taken to bring the situation under control. Transloading operations were carried out to transfer the cargo into another trailer, while the overturned truck was recovered with the assistance of two private towing trucks procured by the Nigeria Police Force.

“Due to extensive damage to the truck’s wheels, final evacuation will require a heavy-duty crane. The recovered truck has been moved to a lay-by pending this.

“Following the conclusion of transloading, the scene was handed over to TRACE officials. Traffic management was jointly supervised by LASTMA and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure the free flow of vehicular movement and minimise gridlock.

“Responding agencies included LASEMA LRT, LASTMA, FRSC, TRACE, and the Nigeria Police Force. The operation has been concluded, and the agency’s LRT has returned to base.”

Reacting, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, commended the responding agencies for their professionalism and timely intervention, which prevented the situation from escalating.

He urged haulage operators to adhere strictly to load limits and road safety regulations while also advising residents to ensure regular inspection and maintenance of electrical installations, particularly prepaid meters, to prevent fire outbreaks caused by electrical surges.