Traffic congestion resumes after lorries block section of Oshodi-Apapa highway near Mile 2

Lagos authorities have adopted a tough stance in response to the resurgence of traffic congestion on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, with container-laden trucks and fuel tankers reappearing around the Mile 2-Berger Yard axis and causing massive gridlock.

n

The situation has been exacerbated by indiscriminate parking on both sides of the road and reckless driving by truck drivers along the Mile 2-Tin Can corridor, resulting in commuters and road users spending several hours on trips that would normally take less than an hour.

n

Vanguard staff, including Political Editor Clifford Ndujihe, reported being severely impacted, with Ndujihe stating that he spent two hours traveling from Festac First Gate to Mile 2, a journey that would typically take significantly less time.

n

A commercial driver, who chose to remain anonymous, shared a similar experience, revealing that he left Mile 2 at 1:20 p.m. but did not arrive in Apapa until nearly 4 p.m., with the journey taking almost three hours.

n

Commuter Mrs. Kemi Adeyemi also expressed frustration, stating that she spent over three hours trapped in traffic and that many people were forced to trek long distances to reach their destinations due to the gridlock.

n

Motorist Mr. Lanre Akindele urged authorities to address the situation promptly, warning that if left unchecked, it could escalate into another chaotic experience for residents and commuters.

n

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has taken action to restore traffic flow, evacuating several trucks from the road and issuing a stern warning to operators to stay off access roads and maintain a single lane.

n

Peter Gbejemede, the second-in-command at LASTMA and former Director of Operations, condemned the resurgence of indiscriminate parking by petroleum tankers on the highway, assuring residents that the agency is committed to ensuring seamless traffic movement along the corridor.

n

Gbejemede explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the indiscriminate parking is linked to the activities of union agents at depot gates, who collect fees from each tanker before granting access into the depots, creating a backlog that leads to indiscriminate parking.

n

Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh has ordered the immediate dismantling of illegal checkpoints mounted by police teams and other agencies along Apapa port access roads, with at least five police officers arrested during an enforcement operation carried out by a special task force.

n

An official of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, attributed the surge in truck traffic to the aftermath of the Sallah holidays, explaining that Lagos, as a major fuel distribution hub, has attracted tanker drivers from different parts of the country.

n

The NUPENG official clarified that while the union controls its Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch, it has no control over containerized and articulated truck operators, and appealed to security agencies to ensure orderliness and ease traffic flow to prevent commuters from suffering unnecessarily.

n

Secretary-General of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, Mohammed Bala, attributed the congestion to the influx of trucks into port terminals after the Sallah celebrations, stating that terminals, especially APM Terminals, are currently operating at full capacity.

n

Bala explained that the situation is not limited to APM Terminals alone, with several other terminals within the port corridor facing capacity challenges due to increased cargo and truck activities, and expressed optimism that the traffic situation will soon ease.

n

The latest gridlock comes barely days after the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, led by its Director-General, Princess Zahrah Audu, carried out a special enforcement operation to clear illegal checkpoints and extortion points along the Apapa port corridor.

n

The PEBEC team dismantled several illegal checkpoints across the corridor, which had allegedly become avenues for extortion by corrupt officials, security operatives, and touts who reportedly extorted truck drivers of huge sums of money.

n

However, investigations revealed that illegal checkpoints had resurfaced along the corridor shortly after the operation, prompting the Lagos CP to order the deployment of a special task force to ensure total compliance with the directive removing all illegal checkpoints and restoring sanity along the Apapa axis.

n

A truck driver identified as Tochukwu reported that the Area B Command and the special task force removed all checkpoints on Apapa Wharf Road under the NPA on May 26, with the arrested policemen allegedly aiding NPA officials in extorting truck drivers.

n

Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation and Logistics Comrade Hassan Adekoya lamented the deep-rooted corruption along the Apapa access roads, stating that the practice had become entrenched and would continue unless drastic and holistic measures were taken to tackle it head-on.

n

Police sources disclosed that the Commissioner's directive was aimed at restoring sanity and professionalism to policing operations along the corridor, with the CP warning that any officer caught violating the directive would be sanctioned accordingly.