A tragic accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has claimed the life of a trailer driver and caused a major traffic gridlock, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed.
In a statement on Friday, LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq said the fatal crash occurred in the early hours at the Otedola Bridge section of the expressway.
He explained that the accident involved two heavy-duty trailers, one carrying sand and the other conveying granite.
Taofiq described the collision as a violent crash, saying it happened after the drivers engaged in a reckless contest for right of way. The impact trapped the driver of the sand-laden trailer, who sustained fatal injuries and was later confirmed dead.
He added that the body of the deceased driver was taken to Ikeja General Hospital.
The Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also confirmed that the crash led to severe traffic congestion, stretching towards the Kara axis of the expressway.
The incident was further complicated by a second crash that occurred a short distance from the first, Taofiq said. The combined effect of the crashes blocked nearly 80 percent of the carriageway, forcing traffic officials to implement diversion measures.
Motorists travelling inward Lagos from the Mowe, Kara Bridge, and Redemption Camp axis were redirected through the Ojodu–Olole route, connecting Agidingbi, Coca-Cola, Secretariat, and 7-Up, to enable continued movement towards Gbagada or Ojota with minimal inconvenience.
Confirming the prolonged gridlock, FRSC Ogun Sector Command spokesperson Afolabi Odunsi linked the congestion to the Otedola Bridge crash and ongoing repair works on the Kara Bridge expansion joints.
Odunsi said FRSC personnel and other agencies were on the scene working to tow the crashed vehicles and ease traffic flow, while additional officers were deployed along the expressway to manage the situation.
