One person has been confirmed dead following multiple crashes on the Otedola Bridge, Lagos, in the early hours of Friday, causing a prolonged gridlock that left thousands of commuters and motorists stranded on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
The accident occurred inward Secretariat, where traffic was brought to a standstill on the busy highway. Traffic authorities said the primary incident involved a violent collision between two heavy-duty trailers—one conveying sand and the other loaded with granite—reportedly caused by a reckless struggle for right of way.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the impact of the crash was severe, leading to the entrapment of the driver of the sand-laden trailer. The victim was rescued and handed over to officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), who rushed him to the General Hospital, Ikeja, where he was later pronounced dead.
In a statement issued by the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency disclosed that the driver of the second trailer was rescued alive and escaped unhurt.
The Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command said the situation worsened after a secondary accident occurred behind the initial crash. According to the police, a fully loaded truck overturned, spilling its contents and covering about 90 per cent of the carriageway, while the second crash further compounded traffic disruption in the area.
Security operatives were deployed to the scene to provide cover, manage crowd control, and support rescue and recovery efforts. LASTMA said the cumulative effect of the crashes obstructed nearly 80 per cent of the carriageway, necessitating extensive traffic control and diversion measures.
Motorists travelling inward Lagos from the Mowe, Kara Bridge and Redemption Camp axis were redirected through the Ojodu–Olole route, linking Agidingbi, Coca-Cola, Secretariat and 7-Up, to ease movement towards Gbagada and Ojota.
The latest incident adds to the growing list of crashes along the axis, a critical corridor linking Lagos to the South-South and South-East regions of the country. On January 18, two commuters died in a multiple-vehicle accident on the Kara Bridge, inward Mowe, while on October 30, 2025, six people, including a police officer, lost their lives in a crash involving several trucks, one of which was a fuel tanker.
