Gridlock on Lagos-Ibadan expressway traps motorists, commuters overnight

Motorists and commuters were stranded for several hours on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after a multiple-vehicle crash at Kara Bridge triggered an overnight gridlock on Tuesday.

The crash, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, involved seven vehicles and disrupted traffic heading towards Ogun State.

The situation was further worsened by ongoing repair works on the bridge, with the resulting congestion stretching beyond the Long Bridge towards Magboro and extending into Lagos.

Some road users said they spent between six and 14 hours trapped in traffic along the route from Ojota and Berger towards Mowe and Ibafo.

Efforts by some motorists to escape the congestion reportedly created another problem, as several drove against traffic and further obstructed vehicles travelling towards Lagos.

Videos shared on social media on Wednesday captured frustrated commuters recounting their experiences after spending hours in the gridlock.

“Lagos is so unreal mahn. Been stuck in traffic since 8 pm yesterday and I’m just still at Berger,” one X user wrote.

The user blamed the prolonged congestion partly on motorists driving against traffic, saying their actions had reduced the available space for vehicles heading towards Lagos to just one lane.