Traffic has switched lane on the Lagos-Benin expressway as commuters returning to Lagos from the South East and South-south are now bearing the brunt of bad roads and incessant security checks.

Before the New Year celebration, traffic snarl was experienced by those travelling from the South West to South East and South-south but shortly after the New Year celebration, traffic trouble has changed lane affecting those returning to Lagos.

Several commuters who sent WhatsApp messages and videos to Political Economist said they had been trapped between Ore and Ijebu-Ode for over three hours. “We have been at a spot for over three hours, no movement but outbound Lagos lane that used to be blocked is now free,” says Mr Ikem Ojigwe who was returning with his family from Agbor in Delta State.

Meantime, the Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Tuesday, said that repair work on the Sagamu interchange bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would commence on Wednesday.

The Sector Commander of FRSC in Ogun, Mr Clement Oladele, disclosed this in a statement issued by the corps’ Public Education Officer, Florence Okpe, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun.

NAN recalls that two tankers, laden with 33,000 litres each, had, on Dec. 25, collided on under the Sagamu interchange bridge, outward bound on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The crash occurred close to the FRSC emergency roadside clinic, resulting in serious damage to the road.

“The major repair by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) will cause diversion of traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway from Jan. 8 until when the repair work is expected to end,’’ Oladele said.

Oladele said that arrangements had been concluded for traffic diversion to enable the officials of RCC and the Federal Ministry of Works commence the repair on the bridge.

The sector commander said that FRSC had met with other stakeholders and Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, to re-strategise on additional measures to mitigate traffic discomfort ahead of the planned diversion of traffic on Kara bridge.

He said that the diversion would be in place until the resumption of work on the reconstruction of the expressway on Jan.13.

Oladele implored the motoring public to cooperate with the officials of the FRSC, assisted by other traffic, security and emergency agencies that would be managing the control of traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

While expressing regret over the inconveniences which the development might motorists, he, however, enjoined them to drive in strict compliance with extant traffic rules and regulations, warning that any violator arrested would be prosecuted.