Motorists heading inward Lagos along the Otedola Bridge corridor were trapped in hours-long gridlock after two 20-foot containers fell from a Mack articulated truck, blocking access on the expressway.
The incident caused heavy traffic stretching beyond Kara Bridge as commuters struggled to pass through the affected area. The truck reportedly developed a battery-related mechanical fault while moving along the busy route.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the accident occurred when the truck overturned during a private recovery attempt.
“During an attempted private recovery operation to remove the immobilised vehicle from the roadway, the truck suddenly overturned, causing the containers to dislodge and fall onto the expressway,” LASTMA said, adding that no casualty was recorded.
LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq said the agency’s rescue team quickly responded, temporarily closing the main carriageway inward Lagos while a tow truck and heavy-duty crane were deployed to remove the containers.
“LASTMA personnel remained actively engaged in traffic diversion, vehicular regulation and crowd management,” he said, noting that normal traffic gradually resumed after the truck and containers were cleared.
He added that LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki deployed additional officers to support emergency responders at the scene.
