LASEMA clears truck incidents, restores traffic on Ikorodu Road

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By Matthew Johnson

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The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has cleared two separate truck incidents that disrupted vehicular movement on Ikorodu Road and at National-Ashade, restoring normal traffic flow in the affected areas.

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The incidents, which occurred on Sunday, involved a loaded mixer truck that fell across the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, corridor on Ikorodu Road and another truck carrying two 20-foot containers that tilted while attempting a U-turn at National-Ashade.

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In a statement, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Mr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s Cobra Response Team stationed at Onipanu was deployed to the Ikorodu Road incident at about 5:53 p.m. following a distress alert.

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He said the team, upon arrival at Palm Grove inward Obanikoro, found a mixer truck belonging to Ecocrete Construction Company involved in a lone accident and lying across the BRT corridor.

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According to him, preliminary assessment indicated that reckless driving and overspeeding might have contributed to the accident, while the driver reportedly fled the scene.

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LASEMA, in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force, secured the scene, managed traffic and commenced recovery operations to remove the truck from the BRT corridor.

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In a separate incident at about 11:21 p.m., LASEMA’s Eagle Response Team stationed at Cappa responded to a distress call at National-Ashade.

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The team found a MACK truck carrying two 20-foot containers. The truck reportedly suffered a tyre burst while attempting a U-turn, causing it to tilt and obstruct about 80 per cent of the roadway.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said the responders immediately secured the area and diverted traffic to prevent a secondary accident, while LASEMA and LASTMA personnel managed traffic pending the arrival of heavy-duty recovery equipment.

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With the assistance of a private crane, two forklifts, LASEMA’s lowbed and a private tow truck, the containers were recovered and loaded onto the agency’s lowbed, while the MACK truck was towed to the LASTMA yard in Oshodi.

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The road was subsequently cleared and reopened to traffic.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said no death or injury was recorded in either incident.

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He commended the Cobra and Eagle Response Teams, as well as the collaborating agencies, for their swift intervention, noting that their response helped prevent prolonged gridlock and possible secondary accidents.

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The permanent secretary urged operators of articulated vehicles and heavy-duty trucks to properly maintain their vehicles, obey speed limits and traffic regulations, and exercise caution while operating on Lagos roads.

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He also urged residents to report emergencies promptly through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines for immediate response.

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