Commuters on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway experienced severe traffic congestion on Wednesday morning following a mechanical failure involving a Mack truck at the Otedola Bridge.
The problem started as a minor battery fault but worsened when the truck overturned during a private recovery attempt, spilling two 20ft containers across the highway and completely blocking traffic in both directions. The gridlock extended as far back as the Kara Bridge.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has since recovered and removed the containers, restoring normal traffic flow. In a statement, the agency said:
“The two containerised boxes have been successfully recovered and removed from the roadway. Traffic is moving very fast. Our officers are still on the ground, managing traffic and ensuring smooth vehicular movement.”
LASTMA explained that the Mack truck initially “developed a battery/mechanical fault on Otedola Bridge inward Secretariat.” During the attempted private recovery, it overturned, dropping the containers and causing heavy congestion on both the inward and outward lanes.
The agency deployed a high-capacity tow truck and coordinated with its Rescue & Recovery Team, while a crane was brought to assist in clearing the roadway.
Motorists were earlier stranded as the traffic backlog stretched beyond Kara Bridge, but LASTMA confirmed that the expressway has now been cleared and vehicular movement fully restored.
