Tankers seize Apapa-Oshodi Road

 LAGOS — Motorists plying Apapa—Oshodi expressway literally went through hell, yesterday, spending hours in the traffic as fuel tankers waiting to load fuel at the tank farms in the area blocked the entire expressway. This was in spite the 72-hour ultimatum given to the tanker drivers on Sunday by the Lagos State Government to remove the vehicles from the highway or  be forcefully relocated.

The traffic which stretched several kilometres was very chaotic at Mile 2 and Julius Berger yard as there were no officials of Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA to restore sanity.

The state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, gave the ultimatum when he paid an on-the-spot assessment of the damage at the scene of the last Saturday’s tanker explosion at Mile 2 which claimed three lives and 36 vehicles

GRIDLOCK—The traffic gridlock at the Mile 2 end of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos ,yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

The gridlock started Monday night, following Julius Berger Plc’ blockade of the service lane, which connects motorists heading for Orile, as well as parking of a large number of petrol tankers which completely took over the entire service lane towards Apapa Port.

Consequently, some motorists got home as late as 1:00am yesterday, as those who could not navigate their way to Orile turned to drive one-way to Mile 2 in efforts to access Orile.

The situation on the bridge linking Kirikiri maximum Prison was not different. For hours, motorists were grounded on the bridge till late at night, as a serious gridlock caused by those who could not gain access to Orile turned against traffic.

“The pains Julius Berger is inflicting on Nigerians on this road is too much.  I was heading towards Orile last Monday night to connect Eko bridge to CMS but discovered that that access had been suddenly blocked by the company.

“Therefore, there was no way motorists could continue as everyone was now turning, driving one-way to see how one could get back on the expressway.