FRSC Advises Motorists to Avoid Kara Bridge as Rescue Operations Continue after Multiple Crashes
Bennett Oghifo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, has advised motorists to use alternative routes following multiple road traffic crashes that occurred on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Friday, leaving one person dead and two others injured.
The crashes, which disrupted traffic along one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, prompted an extensive emergency response involving the FRSC, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other rescue agencies working to clear the accident scene and restore the free flow of traffic.
According to the FRSC, the first and more severe crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan. The incident involved five articulated trucks and a Toyota Sienna vehicle.
Preliminary findings by the Corps attributed the crash to excessive speed and loss of vehicle control.
The Sector Command disclosed that seven adult males were involved in the accident. While one person lost his life, another sustained varying degrees of injuries, and five others escaped unhurt.
The rescue operation, however, became more challenging because one of the heavily loaded trucks trapped the body of the deceased underneath its wreckage.
The Command explained that the recovery of the victim’s remains would require the deployment of heavy-duty recovery equipment before evacuation could be completed safely.
While emergency responders were still managing the first incident, another crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos.
The second incident involved a Mazda commercial bus in what the FRSC described as a lone crash.
Investigations revealed that the crash resulted from brake failure.
The commercial bus driver sustained serious injuries and was immediately rescued by the FRSC emergency response team before being evacuated to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for medical treatment.
The FRSC said rescue teams, alongside LASEMA and other emergency responders, were working tirelessly to remove the damaged vehicles, recover the trapped victim, clear obstructions from the roadway and restore normal traffic movement along the affected corridor.
Reacting to the incidents, the Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat, expressed sympathy to the families of the victims and appealed to motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to remain patient and cooperate with traffic management officials deployed around the crash scene.
He advised road users to exercise caution while approaching the affected section of the expressway and to obey traffic control directives issued by emergency personnel to ensure their safety and facilitate ongoing recovery efforts.
To minimise traffic congestion and delays, the FRSC urged motorists to avoid the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor until recovery operations are concluded.
According to the Command, motorists travelling out of Lagos towards Ibadan should divert through the Ikorodu-Sagamu route, while those heading into Lagos are encouraged to consider alternative entry routes through the Lekki-Epe Expressway or the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway.
Beyond the immediate response, the Corps used the opportunity to remind motorists, particularly drivers of articulated trucks and commercial buses, of the importance of ensuring that their vehicles are mechanically sound before embarking on any journey.
It stressed that special attention should be paid to braking systems and other critical safety components capable of preventing avoidable crashes.
The Command also discouraged unnecessary night journeys, especially under conditions of poor visibility caused by darkness, rainfall or fog.
It advised drivers who must travel at night to reduce speed, maintain safe following distances, avoid dangerous overtaking and stop to rest whenever fatigue sets in.
According to the FRSC, poor visibility and driver fatigue remain significant contributing factors to road traffic crashes across the country.
The Corps reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property on Nigerian roads, assuring the public that it would continue collaborating with relevant emergency response and traffic management agencies to restore normalcy on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as quickly as possible.
The statement was signed by the Lagos Sector Public Education Officer, SRC Elizabeth Oluwadamilola Jayeola, on behalf of the Lagos Sector Command.