Hundreds of motorists were said to have passed the night at the Kara/Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday/ Tuesday, as they were stranded following the enforcement of the curfew imposed on Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
While some of the motorists lamented spending hours for journeys that should have lasted minutes, others decried passing the night in their vehicles after being stuck in the gridlock that followed the closure of the Berger boundary between Lagos and Ogun states.
From evaluation, it is obvious the security agents manned both the inward and outward lanes of the road at Berger.
Police personnel from Lagos and Ogun state commands, officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Vehicle Inspection Officers and men of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps were seen at the checkpoint.
It was keenly observed that the uncompromising security personnel prevented vehicles, including those conveying foodstuffs and tankers coming into Lagos to load fuel as well as those on essential duty from coming into the state, while those exiting Lagos had a similar experience.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said, “On Monday, we had issues all over; the roads were shut because of the curfew; and when we shut down non-essential movement, essential workers were trapped in the gridlock. But eventually, we paved a way for them to pass.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we went around with the Commissioner of Police to assess the situation and the checkpoint at Berger was shifted to a wider area to accommodate more vehicular movement.
“Both the Lagos and Ogun CPs, the Deputy Commissioners for Operations in the states, the DC Operations from the Zone 2 and Area Commanders in both states were present when the decision was made to ease the situation.”
Tragedy was, however, averted when two tankers laden with diesel and kerosene collided on the Otedola Bridge in Lagos on Tuesday.
Bluebloodz.com gathered that the tanker drivers were driving on top speed when the collision occurred around 8am, and the impact made the diesel-laden tanker to spill its content on the road.