A tragic early morning accident on Friday, January 23, 2026, has left one driver dead and thousands of motorists stranded at the notorious Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The primary incident occurred when two heavy-duty trailers, one laden with sand and the other with granite, collided violently in what eyewitnesses and traffic officials described as a reckless contest for right of way.
The impact trapped the driver of the sand-laden truck within the mangled wreckage. Although he was eventually extricated by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Rescue Team, he was later pronounced dead at the General Hospital, Ikeja.
The situation was further compounded by a secondary accident involving a third trailer fully loaded with flour. Approximately 50 metres from the first crash site, this vehicle lost stability and overturned, spilling its contents across 90 percent of the inward Lagos carriageway.
The double catastrophe has effectively paralyzed movement from the Berger and Kara Bridge axis toward the Secretariat, with congestion stretching back several kilometers. The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Alausa Police Division have been deployed to maintain order and assist recovery teams in clearing the spilled consignments.
In response to the total gridlock, LASTMA has implemented extensive traffic diversions. Motorists entering Lagos from Mowe, Kara, and the Redemption Camp are being redirected through the Ojodu-Olole route, connecting to Agidingbi, Coca-Cola, and the Secretariat to bypass the bridge.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa, described the incident as largely preventable, attributing the loss of life to impatience and a disregard for traffic safety among articulated vehicle operators. Recovery operations are still ongoing as heavy-duty towing vehicles work to remove the overturned trucks from the highway.
