Motorists Groan In Lagos-Ibadan Gridlock Over Fallen Tanker

Motorists and commuters were yesterday stuck in the gridlock for several hours as a petrol laden tanker blocked the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and spilled its content around the Ibafo area of Ogun State.

LEADERSHIP observed that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Command, the Ogun State Police Command, fire service personnel and other law enforcement agencies were on ground to cordon off the area and prevent fire outbreak.

However, the FRSC advised road users to explore alternative routes.

According to the commission, road users going into and out of Lagos are advised to explore routes, such as Ikorodu through Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode, and Epe for Lagos-bound vehicles and others to take Abeokuta through Sagamu Interchange as well as for Ibadan bound vehicles.

The corps public education officer, Bisi Kazeem, in a statement on Sunday, while assuring that the commission and other relevant agencies were on top of the situation said the content had been successfully trans-loaded and that men of the state fire service had proceeded to refill their water tank.

Kazeem attributed the gridlock to some impatient motorists who chose to drive against traffic, thereby affecting the free flow of traffic in all available exit routes.

The statement partly read, “A road traffic crash involving a loaded Tanker occurred in the early hours of today under the Ibafo pedestrian bridge on the outward Lagos section of the expressways. FRSC and other agencies have been on top of the situation since the occurrence of the crash

“The contents of the fallen tanker have been successfully trans-loaded into another and men of Ogun State Fire Service have proceeded to refill their water tank.

“Unfortunately, some inpatient drivers who choose to drive against the flow of traffic from all available exit points have done so, thereby causing traffic jams not only for the outward Lagos section where the RTC occurred alone but also, the inward Lagos section as well.”