Travellers spend hours on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Commuters and motorists on Tuesday expressed frustration after being trapped in a gridlock along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that reportedly lasted for more than 24 hours. Daily Trust learned that the traffic snarl, which began building up on Monday evening from the Sagamu-Interchange axis of the highway, extended towards the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abeokuta-Kobape-Siun-Sagamu Expressway […]
Commuters and motorists stranded along Sagamu interchange axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway yesterday Shots: Peter Moses
Commuters and motorists on Tuesday expressed frustration after being trapped in a gridlock along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that reportedly lasted for more than 24 hours.
Daily Trust learned that the traffic snarl, which began building up on Monday evening from the Sagamu-Interchange axis of the highway, extended towards the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abeokuta-Kobape-Siun-Sagamu Expressway (PMB Expressway) by Tuesday morning.
Traffic officials who spoke with Daily Trust blamed the congestion on the ongoing road reconstruction along the highway. Motorists from Lagos, Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode/Benin-Ore, and Abeokuta were stuck in the gridlock, which many described as their worst experience ever.
Our correspondent reports that many commuters resorted to using commercial motorcyclists or trekking along the Sagamu and Abeokuta routes.
As of last night, at the time of filing this report, many travellers were still held up in the traffic.
“I don’t have an update with me now. I’m still getting in touch with my unit commander up there to get the full details. Maybe by tomorrow we will know the real situation,” the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun State, Akinwunmi Fasakin, told Daily Trust last night.
Commuters share ordeals: “Worst traffic I’ve ever experienced”
Some of the commuters lamented their ordeal, describing the logjam as the worst experience of their lives.
“Worst traffic I’ve ever experienced. Ogere to Redeem, 3hrs I never reach anywhere. If you have plans to enter Lagos by road just go and sleep till next week,” Omo Ibadan (@mo_la_yo) posted on his X handle.
Mayegun Emiralty Africa (@emiraltyafrica) said he missed a memorial lecture in honour of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Lam Adesina.
“I stepped out this morning to honor Honorable Dapo Lam-Adeshina at Ibadan for late Lam Adeshina memorial lecture, but Lagos-Ibadan expressway traffic says ‘No.’ Keeping people stranded on the roads in the name of road construction is a menace. Hon. @akinalabi, pls see to this,” he posted.
@chuckyodus said: “Construction going on everywhere but no safety or emergency response! What is this gridlock on Lagos/Ibadan expressway? Why are we standstill for over 2 hours? What if there’s a medical emergency? What is the value of life compared to the road you’re building? @DaveUmahi.”
Oludare posted: “Lagos-Ibadan, Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway is completely blocked. Kindly suspend all journeys leading to those routes.”
Officials advise alternative routes
The Spokesman of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, urged travellers to take alternative routes to avoid the traffic logjam.
“Consequently, travellers are advised to take the alternative routes below, particularly those driving towards the axis. For those already held up, they should be patient and apply caution as TRACE, Police, and the FRSC are already on ground and on top of the situation to resolve the traffic conflict,” Akinbiyi said in a statement.
He added that operatives are managing the traffic challenge by preventing route violation and reckless driving, while Construction Engineers are being contacted “to open some closed axis to ease the gridlock and the backlog the unfortunate standstill has generated.”
“However, any inconvenience is highly regretted,” Akinbiyi concluded.