Motorists traveling out of Lagos State on Sunday encountered significant delays as they grappled with re-routing after an overloaded truck overturned, obstructing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Resulting from this singular accident, a massive gridlock ensued, spanning from the pedestrian bridge at Berger Bus Stop to a short distance ahead of the Tribune House along the expressway.
During an observation of the gridlock by our correspondent, stranded passengers were witnessed disembarking from their vehicles and opting to walk to get around the blocked section of the expressway.
Furthermore, PUNCH Metro reported an escalated fare structure from Berger Bus Stop to Mowe, Ibafo, and Arepo, soaring from the usual N400 to N1000.
As the officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) endeavored to clear the toppled truck and restore the smooth flow of traffic, a stranded commuter informed our reporters that they had been stuck in one spot for no less than two hours.
"We have been stationary at this very spot for two hours. Previously, there were slight movements of vehicles. But now, everything has come to a standstill. The FRSC officials are presently at the scene of the accident," expressed a commuter identified simply as Dozie during an interview with our correspondent.
Subsequently, Florence Okpe, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps, attributed the incident, in a phone conversation with PUNCH Metro, to overloading and a mechanical malfunction.
She remarked, "The vehicle in question experienced a mechanical failure due to overloading, resulting in its overturning during the incident. Had it not been overloaded, the accident might have been avoided. There were no reports of casualties or injuries."