Thousands of commuters and travellers were stranded on Thursday as vehicular movement on both sides of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was brought to a near standstill for hours.
It was observed that traffic slowed to a crawl from the popular Otedola Bridge for those heading out of Lagos and into Ogun State.
Similarly, road users travelling into Lagos faced frustrating congestion, particularly around the Kara Market section of the motorway.
During the unprecedented gridlock, a journey between Berger Bus Stop and Kara Market, which typically takes less than five minutes, took over 30 minutes.
On the Ogun-bound lane, commuters were seen stranded around the World Oil Filling Station as traffic piled up. The Federal Road Safety Corps officers also struggled to control the chaos.
Street vendors, sensing an opportunity, moved freely between vehicles, selling sachet and plastic water, soft drinks, and snacks amid the standstill.
Ram sellers and buyers at the Kara Market, whose vehicles encroached onto parts of the expressway, also worsened the situation.
While many drivers and passengers pointed fingers at the OPIC turning point as a traffic bottleneck, others blamed the commercial ram trade near Kara Market for the congestion.
A commercial bus driver, Adejobi Lateef, blamed the traffic on the lack of regulation on the road by the various traffic enforcement agents.
“We know this road is always prone to traffic. Why should people be allowed to park and trade on the roadside?” he asked.
“The Federal Government, through the FRSC, should sanction those who park indiscriminately and obstruct traffic,” Lateef added.
He also warned fellow drivers against trying to cut corners in traffic, saying such actions “only create more hardship for others”.
Another motorist, Dauda Oye, lamented that the gridlock might persist until after the Eid-El-Kabir celebration on Friday.
“This always happens during big Sallah celebrations. People come not just to travel but to buy and sell rams along the road,” he said.
A frustrated passenger, who identified himself simply as Patrick, said the congestion had cost him an important meeting in Ogun State.
“We hit traffic at the Otedola Bridge, and it got worse around Kara. I’ve already missed my appointment. It’s strange because there was no accident or rain, just this inexplicable hold-up,” he lamented.
Blessing, a regular user of the expressway, described the road as “highly unpredictable”.
“One minute the road is clear; the next, there’s standstill traffic,” she said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector Command of the FRSC, Florence Okpe, confirmed the congestion, attributing it to Sallah-related activities at the Kara Market.
“There is no crash. This type of traffic is typical during festive periods because of the rush to buy rams for the celebration. Drivers also stop to pick up passengers around the market area,” Okpe explained.
She added that the FRSC operatives had been stationed along the corridor to ensure free vehicular movement and prevent violations.
“If you observe closely, we have cleared certain sections of the road to avoid any head-on collisions from vehicles navigating in and out of the market,” she added.
Transporters hike fees
Also, the Lagos State Government on Thursday announced a traffic diversion at Ikeja Along Bus Stop, between Ile Zik and Conoil Petrol Station on the Oshodi-bound lane
Thousands of Lagos commuters faced a nightmare journey to popular destinations like Berger, Ojota, and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The severe gridlock brought traffic to a standstill, with many road users stuck for hours and drivers of commercial buses spiking transport fares.
The congestion started early, around 8:00 am on Thursday, particularly at Kara Bridge, where business activities were in full swing at the cattle market ahead of the Eid-El-Fitri celebrations.
As of 1:00 pm, the traffic showed no signs of easing, leaving commuters frustrated and desperate for alternative routes.
Around 9:00 am on Thursday, the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency confirmed the situation in a post on X.
“We are currently experiencing massive vehicular outflow from Tollgate heading inward Secretariat, Otedola bridge, and Berger due to ongoing market activities Kara market.”
At CMS in Lagos Island, drivers bound for Berger opted out of the route, fearing they would get stuck in traffic. Passengers were forced to explore other routes to reach their destinations.
Some commercial drivers took a detour through Ojota, heading towards Alausa Secretariat to avoid the jam.
The gridlock caused significant disruptions, with commuters left to endure hours of traffic congestion. The situation highlighted the need for improved traffic management and infrastructure to alleviate the suffering of Lagos road users.
To make up for the hours spent in traffic, commercial bus drivers increased transport fares. For instance, drivers in Iyana Oworo were charging N1, 000 from passengers heading to Berger. In Berger as well, drivers of commercial buses are charging N1, 500 from passengers heading towards Magboro, Mowe, Ibafo, and environs.
Findings revealed that road users experienced a similar fate on Wednesday.