Motorists heading towards Ogun State faced lengthy delays on Wednesday after a recovery operation following a road accident disrupted traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The congestion built up around the Kara Bridge axis, where emergency responders temporarily restricted vehicular movement to remove a crashed vehicle from the roadway. The exercise created a major traffic backlog, with queues of vehicles stretching as far as the New Garage area.
Traffic officials said the temporary restriction was necessary to ensure the safe evacuation of the accident scene and prevent further incidents while the recovery operation was underway.
Commuters travelling towards Ogun State were the worst affected, with many spending extended periods in traffic. However, traffic heading inward Lagos from the Mowe-Ibafo corridor remained largely unaffected, as vehicles continued to move without significant obstruction.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, in an update shared via its official X handle on Wednesday, confirmed that the recovery operation was ongoing and had affected traffic movement along the route.
According to the agency, vehicles were temporarily stopped while the recovery team carried out the necessary operations to clear the accident scene.
“The traffic backlog has stretched to New Garage and beyond, causing delays for motorists travelling towards Ogun State,” LASTMA stated.
The development led to a build-up of vehicles along the Lagos-bound and Ogun-bound sections of the expressway, with commuters experiencing longer travel times as the operation continued.
However, LASTMA noted that motorists travelling from Mowe-Ibafo inward Lagos were not experiencing significant challenges, as that direction remained free-flowing with no major obstruction reported.
The traffic management agency urged motorists to remain patient and cooperate with traffic officials deployed to manage the situation while the recovery exercise lasted.
LASTMA also provided an update on another traffic incident involving a fallen containerised truck at the Cater Bridge area. The agency confirmed that the truck had been successfully evacuated from the bridge, allowing normal traffic flow to resume.
Authorities appealed to drivers to remain patient and comply with instructions from traffic management personnel deployed to the area, assuring road users that normal traffic flow would resume once the recovery exercise was completed.
Road users have been advised to exercise caution, maintain safe driving practices, and stay alert while travelling on major highways, particularly where emergency recovery operations are in progress.
