Multiple crashes on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have resulted in heavy traffic, leaving motorists stranded on both sides of the highway.
The Federal Road Safety Corps said one person died while two others sustained injuries in the separate accidents, which occurred in the early hours of Friday.
The Lagos Sector Public Education Officer of the FRSC, Elizabeth Jayeola, disclosed this in a statement, advising motorists to use alternative routes as recovery operations continue.
According to the statement, the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan and involved five articulated trucks and a Toyota Sienna.
The crash, which was attributed to excessive speed and loss of control, involved seven adult males. One person died, another was injured, while five others escaped unhurt.
The FRSC said the body of the deceased remained trapped beneath one of the heavily loaded trucks, requiring heavy-duty recovery equipment for evacuation.
While emergency responders were attending to the first crash, another accident occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos.
The lone crash involved a Mazda commercial bus and was reportedly caused by brake failure. The driver sustained serious injuries and was rescued by FRSC personnel before being taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment.
The FRSC said its rescue team, in collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency responders, was working to evacuate the crashed vehicles, recover the trapped victim and restore the free flow of traffic.
The Lagos Sector Commander, Kehinde Hamzat, sympathised with the families of the victims and urged motorists to remain patient and cooperate with traffic officials managing the situation.
He advised motorists to avoid the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor until recovery operations are concluded.
Motorists travelling from Lagos towards Ibadan were advised to consider the Ikorodu-Sagamu route, while those heading towards Lagos were urged to use the Lekki-Epe Expressway or the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway.
The FRSC also called on drivers, particularly operators of articulated vehicles and commercial buses, to ensure their vehicles are mechanically fit before embarking on journeys.
