Container-laden truck damages seven cars on Barracks-Ojuelegba bridge

A container-laden truck on Friday rolled back on Barracks-Ojuelegba Bridge in Lagos and damaged seven cars.

No life was lost.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who was at the scene, said that the accident occurred at about 7.25 am.

The head of operations of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASMA) Surulere, Adebayo Olusegun, said his team arrived the scene of the accident just when the trailer was rolling down the bridge.

According to him, the trailer was not carrying a heavy load but it just rolled down the bridge.

“We thank God that no life was lost and it usually happened that trucks rolled back on the bridge after climbing. This is not a break failure but seven cars were affected,’’ Mr Olusegun said.

A driver working with Skill Media Company, Christopher Ebule, said his bus with Reg. No Lagos EKY-921FQ was about to climb the bridge but discovered that the trailer was rolling back and other vehicles were behind him.

“I tried to manoeuvre to the other side of the bridge while the trailer came down without stopping and scratched our company bus,’’ he said.

A corps member, who was at the scene of the accident, Michael Afolayan, noted that “If not for an Infinity Jeep that blocked the trailer, the trailer would have claimed many lives this morning’’.

“We commend the Lagos State Government for ensuring that containers must be hooked while moving on Lagos roads. If not the container could fall and kill a passer-by.

“Trailer drivers ought to obey government rules that compelled them to take the service lane but they kept on climbing the Ojuelegba-Barracks Bridge.

“I think the trailer driver was trying to avoid extortion by touts and this had caused many accidents on Ojuelegba -Barracks Bridge,’’ Mr Afolayan said.

He urged the Lagos State Government to make available security agencies that would stop touts from extorting money from trailer drivers.

Mr Afolayan said that government should put in place stiff penalty for offenders of laws to save lives and property of the citizens.

The driver of the 40ft container-laden truck had been arrested and taken to Area ‘C’ Police Station at Barracks Bus Stop.

Efforts to speak with the truck driver were not successful.

Meanwhile, some owners of cars involved in the accident and insured, drove off while other cars were parked in the police station for further investigation.

(NAN)