Apapa-Oshodi Expressway: Traffic robbers return as gridlock overwhelms task team

Armed robbers on Friday night had a field day as they robbed motorists and commuters on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, disposing them of valuables after smashing their cars’ window glasses.

Some members of staff of The Sun who were victims of the attack on Friday night had all the glasses of their cars broken with dangerous weapon, as well as disposed of their phones and other valuables by the hoodlums who operated without challenge for several minutes.

The staffers and other victims were trapped in between articulated vehicles on the dreaded Mile 2 traffic gridlock on the ever-busy road.

Eye-witnesses told Sunday Sun that the robbers have increased in their activities recently following the absence of security agencies and return of articulated vehicles on the road as they now attack motorists and commuters almost every night, between the hours of 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

No less than 15 vehicles had their windows smashed and their laptops, phones and personal belongings taken from them while other motorists watched helplessly for fear of getting caught by bullets as the four-man gang carried out their operations on Friday night.

The attacks on Friday night were between the Sanya Bus stop, Coker and Mile 2 stretch as motorists were taken unawares by the traffic jam.

Sadly, the morning after the attack on hapless motorists and commuters, the trucks disappeared into the thin air. Reason was that the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was passing through the area. There was heavy police presence all the way from Oshodi to Mile 2 from 7:30a.m up till 3:30p.m when this report was filed.

Despite calls, as well as directives by the Lagos State government and the Federal Government for articulated vehicles to vacate the Oshodi-Apapa expressway, the truck drivers have remained adamant causing untold hardship to motorists and commuters alike heading for the Apapa, Mile 2, Festac Town, Satellite Town, Ojo and Badagry areas of the state.

Last May, Governor Sanwo-Olu who had just been sworn-in headed for Apapa to see things for himself, as well as have a firsthand knowledge of the situation after which he promised to end gridlock on the axis.

Not long after that in June, last year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in Lagos and spoke on what the Federal Government would do to end the Apapa traffic nuisance.

Despite the efforts of the two men, gridlock has remained unabated in the area as the task force officials deployed to check the menace of articulated vehicles are now collecting bribe from the drivers, making them to again begin to park indiscriminately. (Sunday Sun)