Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
A trailer accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has caused severe traffic congestion, leaving motorists stranded for hours and forcing some drivers to use bush paths and alternative roads to bypass the affected section.
The crash occurred around 1am on Tuesday along the outbound carriageway at Sinowa, where the trailer reportedly fell across the expressway and remained there into the morning.
With only one lane available for vehicles, traffic quickly built up along the busy highway as more motorists approached the affected area.
An eyewitness, Miss Tolani, said vehicles had been moving slowly or remained virtually stationary since the trailer crashed.
The growing congestion also affected surrounding roads in Mowe and Ofada as motorists sought alternative routes to escape the gridlock.
Some drivers resorted to using hidden roads and bush paths, further increasing pressure on the surrounding road network.
Lagos State Traffic Management Authority spokesperson, Akinbiyi Babatunde, confirmed the crash and said the obstruction had significantly disrupted traffic movement.
“The crash, which occurred along the outbound carriageway at Sinowa, has resulted in a major obstruction to the free flow of traffic. The situation has been further compounded by impatient motorists attempting to leave their designated lane and cross into the opposite section of the expressway.”
Akinbiyi said traffic officials had been deployed to manage the situation and urged motorists to remain patient and follow instructions from traffic authorities.
“TRACE, FRSC and the police have been deployed to the affected areas as they strive to normalise traffic flow. Motorists are advised to exercise patience, avoid driving against traffic and refrain from lane indiscipline,” he said.
He advised motorists who could do so to use alternative routes, including the Old Lagos-Sango-Ifo-Ewekoro-Abeokuta Expressway, Sagamu-Sotubo-Ogijo-Ikorodu Expressway and Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway.
Traffic was still building up on both carriageways as of Tuesday morning, with officials working to restore normal movement and reduce the impact of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway accident.
