Lagos residents lament gridlock as tricycles, traders take over roads

By Suliyat Quadri

There is growing anger among residents of Abule Egba, Lagos, over the daily traffic gridlock caused by commercial tricycles and roadside traders who have virtually taken over major roads in the area.

Every day, from morning till late at night, commuters are trapped for hours as tricycles park indiscriminately, while traders display their goods along the road, leaving little or no space for motorists to pass.

The situation has not only slowed down economic activities but also endangered lives, with many drivers resorting to driving against traffic in a bid to escape the hold-up.

“We are suffering here. Tricycles and traders have turned the road to their own property. Government should come to our rescue before something worse happens,” a resident, Mr. Kunle Adebayo, told Daily Sun.

A regular commuter in the axis, Mrs. Funke Ojo, lamented that schoolchildren and workers now spend long hours on the road due to the daily obstruction. “This has become unbearable. Government must act fast to restore sanity,” she said.

Residents are appealing to the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to urgently intervene, clear the roads, and enforce order in the area.

At the time of filing this report, the traffic situation remained dire, with no solution in sight.