Motorists and commuters were stranded for more than three hours on Sunday following a heavy traffic jam between Ovia Bridge and Okada Junction along the Lagos-Benin Expressway.
The gridlock, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, was worsened by an accident, vehicle breakdowns and the large number of articulated trucks on the route.
Some drivers blamed the congestion on impatience among motorists and the indiscriminate parking of vehicles by truck drivers who reportedly slept by the roadside instead of resuming their journeys early.
A driver, Akanni, criticised the practice, saying it contributed to the traffic congestion.
Another driver, Chukwu, said he learnt of a gridlock around Ovia Bridge at about 2am and decided to rest at a bypass near Oluku. However, he was surprised to encounter another traffic jam after passing the Ovia Bridge section without difficulty.
Chukwu blamed the situation on poor enforcement of traffic regulations by government agencies, particularly the Federal Road Safety Corps. He also urged the Edo State Government to repair a damaged section of the road near Okada, around the Tipper Garage, which he identified as a recurring traffic bottleneck.
He said repairing the road and enforcing traffic rules would improve vehicular and pedestrian movement along the corridor.
During the traffic jam, some motorists were also observed driving against the flow of traffic, further worsening the congestion.
The Edo State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Preye Bedford, said his personnel regularly monitored the area to ensure smooth traffic movement.
Bedford explained that although officers were not permanently stationed at the location, they were deployed periodically and responded to reports of accidents and vehicle breakdowns.
He said officers stationed around Ofosu and other locations remained alert to emergencies that could disrupt traffic.
The sector commander urged motorists to exercise patience and comply with traffic regulations to prevent avoidable congestion.