Thousands of commuters were stranded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after a Mack truck overturned on Otedola Bridge, spilling two 20-foot containers onto the highway.

The incident began with a mechanical fault before the truck toppled during recovery attempts, blocking both directions of traffic and causing a massive gridlock that stretched beyond Kara Bridge. The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority later confirmed the containers had been removed and normal traffic restored.

 The development triggered a massive gridlock, leaving thousands of commuters stuck for hours. 

The obstruction paralysed movement along the expressway, with vehicles trapped in a long queue that stretched as far as Kara Bridge. Motorists travelling both inward and outward along the expressway experienced severe delays as the fallen containers completely blocked sections of the road. 

Traffic officials were forced to intervene as the situation worsened during the peak morning rush. 

However, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) later confirmed that the containers had been successfully removed and normal traffic flow restored. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the agency said its officials had cleared the obstruction from the highway.

 “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,” the statement read.

 According to the agency, the Mack truck initially developed a mechanical problem while travelling on the bridge. It explained that the truck “developed a battery/mechanical fault on Otedola Bridge inward Secretariat.” During an attempt by private operators to recover the faulty vehicle, the truck overturned, causing the containers it was carrying to fall onto the road and block traffic. 

The accident led to heavy congestion along both the inward and outward lanes of the expressway.

 To address the situation, LASTMA said it deployed a high-capacity tow truck to the scene while arrangements were made for a crane to assist in lifting the fallen containers. 

The agency also mobilised its rescue team to the location to coordinate traffic and remove the obstructing vehicle.

 According to the statement, the authority’s Rescue and Recovery Team was already at the scene, carrying out vehicle removal and traffic management.

 LASTMA added that the traffic backlog, which had earlier extended beyond Kara Bridge during the recovery operation, has now been cleared. 

The agency assured motorists that normal vehicular movement had been restored along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with officers remaining at the scene to ensure smooth traffic flow.