One person has died and two others were injured after separate crashes on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and disrupting economic activities along one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, said the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan.
According to the agency, the accident involved five articulated trucks and a Toyota Sienna.
The FRSC’s Sector Public Education Officer, Elizabeth Jayeola, said preliminary findings showed that excessive speed and loss of control caused the crash.
“A total of seven adult males were involved in the crash. One person lost his life and one sustained injuries, while five others escaped unhurt,” she said.
While emergency responders were clearing the wreckage, another crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos.
The second incident involved a Mazda commercial bus and was attributed to brake failure.
Jayeola said the driver sustained serious injuries and was rescued by the FRSC emergency response team before being taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment.
Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the FRSC and the Nigeria Police were deployed to the scene to manage traffic and oversee recovery operations, while tow trucks worked to remove the damaged vehicles.
The crashes triggered a massive traffic gridlock stretching from Kara Bridge to Otedola Bridge and beyond, with congestion also affecting the Isheri-Olowora axis and Ogunusi Road.
Many commuters abandoned their vehicles and trekked to their destinations, while others resorted to commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada, to bypass the congestion.
The disruption also affected economic activities on the major highway linking Lagos with other parts of the country.
To ease the traffic situation, LASTMA temporarily opened a one-way route from Berger to OPIC Turning.
The FRSC advised motorists to avoid the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor until recovery operations are completed.
The agency recommended that motorists travelling from Lagos towards Ibadan use the Ikorodu-Sagamu route, while those heading into Lagos should consider the Lekki-Epe Expressway or the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway.
The latest incident adds to a growing number of crashes recorded along the Kara Bridge corridor, where authorities have repeatedly blamed speeding, reckless driving and mechanical failures for frequent accidents.
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