…As Trucks crash shuts down traffic on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, following diversion***
A lorry and another 40ft container-laden truck on Wednesday fell at Obanikoro, Ilupeju area of Ikorodu road, following an accident between both vehicles in the early hours of Wednesday.
An eyewitness who preferred anonymity told the newsmen at the scene of the accident that the container-laden truck with registration number KY32SD hit the lorry with registration number AA757-NEN, while overtaking.
The accident, however, caused gridlock that extended to Maryland end of the Ikorodu road.
The security operatives and rescue teams consisting of the Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) Response Team were at the scene to ease traffic flow.
Mr Awodeinde Lukman, Coordinator of the LASTMA team at the scene, said that the incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday, saying that efforts were being made to evacuate the affected vehicles.
Lukman confirmed that no life was lost but noted that the driver of the truck was unconscious and had been taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
ASP Alfred Randa of Ilupeju Division of the Nigeria Police, said that efforts were ongoing to evacuate the vehicles from the road and to also ease traffic.
“The police and other security officials have been deployed to the road to control and divert traffic from the scene of the accident.
“We are also waiting for a fork lift from LASEMA to lift the truck from the road, as the initial one they brought could not lift the truck, so they have gone to bring a bigger one.
“Once the vehicles are evacuated, the traffic flow will be faster, ” Randa said.
In the meantime, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday said that an early morning accident involving two articulated trucks at the Kara Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway caused a total shutdown of traffic.
The Federal Government on Tuesday resumed traffic diversion on the Kara Bridge section of the highway to continue reconstruction of the ever-busy corridor.
Explaining the cause of the gridlock being experienced on the highway by motorists and commuters a day after traffic diversion started, Mr Samuel Obayemi, the FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone RS2, comprising Lagos and Ogun, attributed the crash to impatience.
Also read: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway diversion: FRSC says ‘Our major headache remains driving against traffic’
Obayemi, who frowned at the recklessness of some road users, urged motorists to be cautious of the diversion and exercise patience.
“A crash at the Kara end of Lagos-Ibadan expressway outward Lagos has caused a total shut down of traffic going outside Lagos.
“JBN (Julius Berger Nigeria Plc) has been contacted and they are on ground to remove the barriers that will aid the easy entrance of a tow-truck.
“FRSC, Nigeria Police, LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management Authority), TRACE (Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps) are on ground managing the traffic.”
Obayemi called on motorists to change their negative attitude on the use of the road.
“Motorists should know that they are moving from four lanes to two lanes at that portion of the highway where construction is going on. So, there will be need for a lot of caution.
“Motorists should have consideration for other road users because this is a situation whereby the people going outside Lagos will make use of the same lanes with those coming into Lagos.
“So, there is the need for extra caution on the part of the motorists,” he said.
Obayemi said that the recovery operations was ongoing to free the traffic and return normalcy to the corridor.
According to him, road users should avoid any haste when approaching diversion sections so as not to cause pains to other users.
