Lagos-Ibadan: Motorists Trapped in 14-Hour Gridlock

Motorists and commuters travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were trapped in severe gridlock for more than 14 hours on Tuesday following a multiple-vehicle crash at Kara Bridge.

The crash, which occurred in the early hours of the day, involved seven vehicles and disrupted movement towards Ogun State. The resulting congestion later spread beyond the Long Bridge towards Magboro and into parts of Lagos.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said the vehicles involved included a 40-foot container truck, a Toyota Hilux, an interstate bus, a Hyundai Odyssey, a Sienna, a Toyota Highlander and a Mitsubishi Hilux.

According to LASEMA, preliminary investigations indicated that the container truck developed a mechanical fault while in motion, causing its driver to lose control and crash into the other vehicles.

Emergency responders, including LASEMA, LASTMA and the Nigeria Police Force, were deployed to the scene. Private towing trucks were also brought in to remove the affected vehicles from the carriageway.

Fortunately, no death or injury was recorded in the crash, according to LASEMA.

However, before the damaged vehicles were completely cleared, the traffic situation had deteriorated significantly. Some motorists reportedly drove against traffic in an attempt to escape the congestion, creating another bottleneck for vehicles travelling towards Lagos.

As of 5pm, the gridlock had extended beyond the Long Bridge towards Magboro, while by 7pm, traffic had reportedly stretched towards Iyana-Oworo in Lagos.

The situation was further complicated by ongoing repair works on Kara Bridge, where damaged expansion joints are being replaced. The reduced road space has made the corridor particularly vulnerable to severe congestion whenever accidents or other obstructions occur.

The prolonged traffic also led to significant increases in transport fares. Commuters reportedly paid as much as N2,000 for journeys between Iyana-Oworo and Berger, compared with the usual N500 to N700 fare.

Traffic authorities continued efforts to restore normal movement and manage the congestion along the affected sections of the expressway.