News
Dangote drivers protest seizure of trucks, abandon vehicles on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, cause gridlock
Hundreds of motorists and travellers were left stranded for many hours on Saturday when some trucks drivers barricaded the two lanes of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway at the Papalantoro bus stop in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The truck drivers, said to be from Dangote cement, reportedly abandoned the trucks after blocking the expressway.
The action subjected travellers and motorists to hardship as many of them were forced to trek long distances.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene, was told that the development was due to a clash between the drivers and officials of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps in the state.
Some truck drivers accused TRACE officials of seizing their trucks for parking by the roadside.
An eyewitness, Olalekan Abudullah said the incident started around 8pm on Friday and escalated by Saturday.
He said,
“The issue started when the officials of TRACE towed away two trucks belonging to Lafarge cement, which were parked by the roadside, to their office.
“Although the rift was later settled, Dangote truck drivers who joined their Lafarge counterpart insisted that the seized trucks must be returned to where they were seized.
Another eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Ayuba, said the TRACE men also seized a Dangote truck which was parked by the roadside.
“The drivers pleaded but the TRACE men ignored them. I think that was the reason why the truck drivers decided to block the road.”
Men of the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army and the Federal Road Safety Corps were seen at the scene controlling traffic.
The Public Relations Officer for TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, accused Dangote truck drivers of indiscipline and impunity.
He explained that men of TRACE worked through the night to ensure a free flow of traffic on the expressway, but their efforts were allegedly thwarted by the truck drivers.
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