The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos-Abeokuta road

  • Motorists lament increasing traffic robberies on Lagos-Abeokuta road

    Motorists and commuters are worried by the frequent traffic robberies on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, urging the government and the police to come to their aid.

    Over 20 motorists and passengers were robbed around 7am yesterday between Ile Zik and Ajayi Farms in Ikeja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bad spots on the road, which is being reconstructed to accommodate the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor, have turned into a traffic robbers’ den.

    The road users told NAN that they had lost valuables, including phones, laptops, watches, necklaces and cash.

    They said once the gridlock builds up, the robbers appear, wielding guns and forcing them to surrender money and other valuables.

    Those who wound up their window glasses were asked to wind down or have them broken.

    An Information Communication Technology (ICT)  consultant, Akinsola Ogunwale, said he was robbed at gunpoint at about 6:15am at Ile Zik, on January 29.

    “I was driving in traffic around Ile Zik and the next thing I knew, two men approached my vehicle and hit my car window with a gun.

    “While one was trying to reach for my back seat, the other collected my phone and tried to hijack my vehicle. The next chance I got, I sped off and escaped.

    “This morning on my way to work, around the same time, I noticed about 20 cars being robbed and no security personnel available to help the victims,” he said.

    Ogunwale said when he used information technology software to track his stolen phone, it indicated that it was at Ashade market in Ikeja.

    A civil servant, Kunle Adebiyi, said he was once robbed by a motorcyclist at 6:30am around Mangoro.

    “I left my house very early in order to beat the traffic, but unfortunately, I still got caught in the traffic and was robbed of my iPhone and wallet.

    “I didn’t want to struggle with the hoodlum because I have heard of cases when the victims were beaten up and injured,” he said.

    A trader, Mrs. Oleteju Adeyinka, said her phone was grabbed by the window while in a public vehicle by a hoodlum, who disguised as a plantain chips hawker.

    “It happened very fast and in broad daylight. He pretended as if he wanted to sell plantain chips and I was holding my phone. Within a twinkling of an eye, he grabbed my phone and started running.

    “By the time I got down from the vehicle, he was already gone.

    “These robberies have been happening for a long time and we thought it had reduced.

    “It seems it is on the increase now, especially around Iyana Dopemu, Mangoro, Ile Zik and Ajayi Farms where there is always traffic jam,” she said.

    A driver, Dami Ojo, said: “I’ve never been a victim of traffic robberies, but I know people who have gone through this horrific act. Some have been badly injured in the process.

    “Just recently, a video surfaced online of a man trying to steal from a moving vehicle. Unfortunately for him, he was caught and mercilessly beaten.”

    He urged the government to work in finding a lasting solution to the menace.

    Some victims said the robbers usually headed for the railway and escaped towards Ikeja.

     

  • Truck crushes Okada rider to death in Ogun

    A commercial motor cycle operator has been crushed to death by a truck in an early morning accident along Lagos – Abeokuta road on Monday.

    The accident which occurred at the Ifo stretch of the Lagos – Abeokuta road, involved Iveco truck with registration number AAA 921 XA and Bajaj motorcycle marked FKJ 880 QB.

    It was learnt that the driver of the Iveco truck lost control of the wheel when he allegedly dozed – off and veered into the right of way of the motorcycle rider, crushing him from the rear into in a stationary unmarked Mack truck which was earlier involved in an accident on Sunday night with a Mercedes Benz car marked EG 283 KJA.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, said the commercial motorcycle rider died on the spot and that his remains have been taken to the State General Hospital, Ifo.

    Read Also: Gunmen kidnap Catholic Priest in Delta

    “An Iveko Truck, which was travelling early this morning, lost control due to fatigue, according to eye witness account, and then rammed into the motorcycle rider (okada rider) from behind against the two accidents vehicles that happened on Sunday night.

    The driver of the Iveko Truck, the accident vehicles, including the motorcycle, have been evacuated to the Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters,” Akinbiyi said.
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  • Two die, two other injured in Ogun road accidents

    Two persons, including a woman, died on Wednesday in accidents that occurred separately on roads in Ogun state.

    The first accident which occurred in Owode – Ijako corridor of the old Lagos – Abeokuta road, left a motorcyclist dead when a hit – and – run vehicle knocked him down atop his Boxer motorcycle with registration number QS291AGL.

    It was learnt that the remains of the motorcyclist have been kept at the morgue of the State Hospital, Ifo.

    Also, the second accident which involved  a Hyundai car marked  KJA 256 CK  and a parked truck with registration number FST 202 XT) resulted in the death of a woman and injury to two other persons.

    Read Also: Four die in Ogun road accidents

    The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi,  who confirmed the separate accidents, said while first accident was the result of reckless driving by a hit – and – run vehicle, the second one followed a “loss of control.”

    According to Akinbiyi, the “Hyundai car ran into a parked truck after losing control” of the wheel.

    He said the remains of the dead have been taken to the State General Hospital, Isara, while the accident vehicles were towed to Ode – Remo Police station, Ogun State.

  • Cheers, jeers for Lagos-Abeokuta road demolition

    As the Lagos State Government right in demolishing some houses to pave the way for the expansion of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway? Yes, say some of the victims; no, state others.

    It is an act of their wickedness and insensitivity on the part of the government,” said those against the exercise. It will be of benefit, those in support said.

    A shop owner, Kehinde Samuel, said the demolition was “wicked”.

    Samuel said they were given just a week’s notice before the demolition.

    “It was last week Monday that we received notice to vacate the area to create space for the expansion of the road and from that time till now some of us have not been able to get another place for our goods,” he said.

    An Abule-Egba resident Mrs Taiwo Olaokun said all the efforts she made to make sure that her house and that of other landlords were not demolished were in vain.

    “ I protested, I cried, I shouted, attended meetings with other community leaders, I even appeared on newspapers and television and yet all my efforts proved abortive; I have no comments again since I have been made homeless,” she said.

    Another victim who simply gave his name as Chinedu, hailed the exercise.

     He said it will go a long way to benefit the general public and reduce traffic gridlock in the area.

    Kayode Oriade, a trader in electronics, said that the action has both good and bad effects.

    “What the government is doing will be of benefit to the people. But we traders, the landlords and other shop occupants do not understand the situation. This is a feeling that will be difficult for us to get out of,” he said.

    He pleaded with the government to provide alternative place for the victims.

    A commercial bus operator, Mr Ayo Adewale, urged government to expedite action on the expansion, lamented the loss of hours to the traffic jam.

     “On a normal day if there was no project on the road, I could take passengers at on six rounds daily, but since this project has been ongoing, I could only go on three rounds which is affecting my income,” he said.

    Mr Olukayode Shokas, who led the demolition team, said the project is for the benefit of the general public.

    He explained that the demolition will create space for the construction of a five lane expressway which will help reduce the traffic gridlock in the area.

    “This project is not an act of wickedness to the people, but a means of helping the people to enjoy good road network and also to reduce the traffic gridlock around the area”, he said.

    He noted that government is making an arrangement to compensate the affected properties owners.

  • 1,000 houses to go for Lagos-Abeokuta road expansion

    1,000 houses to go for Lagos-Abeokuta road expansion

    Residents of Abule-Egba yesterday protested against the State Government’s plan to demolish over 1,000 houses and shops for the expansion of the Lagos-Abeokuta Road.

    The residents accused the government of reneging on its agreement with property owners. They said, rather than continue the project based on the agreed 32 metres from the old electric poles, the government last week extended portions for demolition to 91.44 metres.

    They alleged that the government planned to render them homeless, adding that they were told that the demolition of marked structures would start tomorrow.

    The residents claimed that the development has left four aged landladies hospitalised, including Mrs. Soyebatu Atobajaye, adding that over 10,000 people would be jobless if government went ahead with the plan.

    According to them, a September 22 letter from the Ministry of Physical Planning, signed by F.A. Danboyi, notifying them of the 91.44 metres Right of Way (RoW) also directed that they should within seven days, provide documents validating their ownership.

    But when they took their documents to the ministry, the residents alleged that they were asked to vacate the premises to pave the way for demolition. They discribed the directive as “anti-people.”

    It was gathered that structures from Super to Awori, a distance that falls under the Oke-Odo, Ojokoro and Orile-Agege constituencies would be affected if the markings of last Tuesday were allowed to stand.

    A community leader, Alhaji Jimoh Agbaje, whose two properties at 374 and 376 Abeokuta Expressway were affected by the new markings, appealed to the government to stick to the previous ones.

    He said: “I bought this property (376) in 1976 and commenced building in 1979. If you look at it, you would see that I have over 100 feet from the covert. I did not build on the RoW. Yet, I agreed to leave 32 metres of my land for the project since it was for our development.

    “We had a meeting with the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Wasiu Anifowoshe on September 20. He never told us that the government was planning to take more of our lands. Then, on September 22, I got a letter indicating that about 78 feets would be taken out of my plots, not including the 32 metres I have voluntarily given.

    “The problem now is that, for them to take the 78 feets, they would demolish 11 shops and part of my building. In as much as we love the project, the government should not render us homeless and jobless. I have 11 employees who would lose their jobs if my office is demolished. Then over 200 persons would be laid off at plot 374 because I have 42 shops there occupied by people who also employed people.

    “We are appealing to them to be considerate. This is the people’s government. They should know that the ripple effect would affect over 10,000 people. It is not as if we are affecting the construction. They should stick to the initial agreement of 32 metres from the pole and complete the project, which is about 50 percent done.”

    A widow, Chief Grace Santos, whose husband retired as a permanent secretary, lamented the planned demolition of her shops and house, saying she has nowhere to go to.

    The widow, who said the shops were her means of livelihood, added that the house was the only property acquired by her late husband.

    She said: “With these new markings, my shops would be demolished and half of my building would go too. Where do I go to with my children and grandchildren? I have pregnant women in my home. Do they want us to starve to death or sleep on the streets?

    “So many people have developed hypertension since the notice was served and the new markings done. About four elderly women are on admission in the hospital. It is not easy, especially with the current hardship in the country. The government should reconsider.”

    Contacted, Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner, Wasiu Anifowoshe said he was working based on designs from the Ministry of Works.

    He said: “Abeokuta Expressway is a Federal Government project. The government has acquired the Right of Way which has been effected. It was the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure that gave my Ministry the drawings, so I am working based on the advice from the Ministry of Works. I advise you to contact the Ministry of Works for reaction.”