Saturday’s near-fire calamity in the Ojuelegba neighbourhood of Lagos was extinguished thanks to the efforts of Zebra Akinde Olusola and the other personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
Mr. Taoqik Adebayo, the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, provided details about this significant intervention in an official statement.
According to the statement, Zebra Olusola, who hails from Zone 3 in the Iponri area of Surulere, provided an account of the incident. On the road leading to Alaka and heading towards the stadium, a truck carrying gas with the registration number KRD 281 XL collided with the recently erected barrier by the Lagos State Government.
Zebra Olusola further clarified that during the attempt to manoeuvre the gas-laden truck under the newly erected barrier, its contents spilled onto the main carriageway near Alaka, in the direction of the stadium bridge.
In response to the incident, Zebra Olusola commented, “As soon as the incident occurred, LASTMA officials promptly contacted other emergency responders, particularly the Lagos State Fire Service. The main carriageway at Alaka, leading to the stadium bridge, was cordoned off by LASTMA personnel to prevent any potential outbreak of fire.”
He went on to mention that the truck driver was detained and handed over to the police stationed at the Area ‘C’ Divisional Police Station. Subsequently, vehicular traffic was redirected to the service lane, leading from Alaka, to facilitate the smooth flow of vehicles towards Ojuelegba, thanks to the swift actions of LASTMA officials.
Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, the General Manager of LASTMA, explained that the installation of the new barrier at Stadium Bridge was intended to guide heavy trucks onto the service lane, diverting them away from the main road leading from Alaka towards Ojuelegba.
Oreagba, in his statement, urged heavy truck drivers to consistently utilise the service lane whenever they embark on journeys in the vicinity of the stadium and Ojuelegba area of Lagos.
Finally, he encouraged the public to contact LASTMA through their hotlines, 08100565860 and 08129928513, in case of traffic congestion or to provide comments and observations.
