A truck accident involving two 20-foot containers caused severe traffic congestion around the Otedola Bridge axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident involved a Mack articulated truck transporting two containers, which reportedly developed a battery-related mechanical fault while moving along the bridge.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, the situation escalated after an attempt by private individuals to recover the broken-down truck resulted in the vehicle overturning, causing the containers to fall onto the roadway.
He said the failed recovery attempt led to the containers spilling onto the carriageway, obstructing a portion of the road and worsening traffic in the area.
Taofiq explained that preliminary findings at the scene confirmed that no casualty was recorded, adding that operatives of LASTMA, working with other emergency responders, swiftly intervened to stabilise the situation.
According to him, the LASTMA Rescue and Recovery Team was immediately dispatched to the location alongside personnel from the agency’s Zone 2 Command following the distress alert.
He noted that traffic management measures were promptly implemented to regulate vehicular movement and ensure the safety of motorists along the affected corridor.
To enable the removal of the obstruction, Taofiq said the main carriageway inbound Lagos was temporarily shut while a heavy-duty tow truck was mobilised to the scene.
He added that a crane was later deployed to lift and reposition the fallen containers, paving the way for a coordinated recovery operation.
The traffic spokesperson further revealed that the incident resulted in a backlog of vehicles stretching beyond the Kara Bridge area as motorists struggled with the gridlock.
Despite the disruption, he said LASTMA officials remained on ground to divert traffic, regulate vehicle movement and manage crowds until normalcy was restored.
He disclosed that traffic gradually returned to normal after the overturned truck and its containers were successfully cleared from the road and the affected carriageway reopened.
Reacting to the development, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, ordered the immediate deployment of additional officers to reinforce ongoing recovery and traffic management operations at the scene.
Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding road users, protecting road infrastructure and ensuring smooth vehicular movement across Lagos roads.
PUNCH Metro had earlier reported in January that a trailer driver lost his life in an accident that occurred on the same bridge.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Works had previously advised motorists to expect temporary inconvenience due to the ongoing repair and expansion of bridge joints along sections of the expressway.
On Tuesday, our correspondent observed partial gridlock along the Berger–OPIC stretch of the highway as a result of the ongoing rehabilitation works.