An attempt made by an FIJ reporter to know the possible cause of a serious traffic congestion along the Anthony Bus Stop part of Ikorodu Road, Lagos, was mocked by some officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Thursday.

The reporter, noticing the gridlock on the road despite the presence of LASTMA officials and some officials from the traffic unit of the Lagos State Police Command, approached the officers to find out what was going on.

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Rather than give an insight into the traffic or decline to comment, the officers became hostile and resorted to mockery.

Attempts to speak with the officials on the possible cause of the incident were mocked and scorned.

“All they know is for them to want you to talk,” one LASTMA official said. “Truck fell. Ehn e fall. Is it moving?”

“Don’t worry,” another official retorted. “It’s on a break. It will soon move.”

An eyewitness who eventually spoke to FIJ on the incident said the truck fell over a garden path around 5 am as a result of the heavy load it carried.

It was also gathered that a group of agbero boys, who rushed to the scene, demanded an outrageous sum from the truck driver before they could offer any assistance.

“I got here around 6 am after the incident had happened,” one eyewitness said.

“The agbero boys who were helping out with the goods were demanding some money from the truck drivers — a sum he was unable to pay.

“No lives were lost, as you can see. The truck driver and another occupant sitting next to him escaped without injuries.”

FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

The fallen truck, which was laden with many bicycles and other wrapped materials, eventually rendered many residents and commuters on the road helpless.

In the end, they were forced to find alternative options of getting to their destinations.

Commercial bus operators also immediately cashed in on the gridlock and increased transport fares along the route.

Some stranded commuters, after assessing the situation, rued the ban of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, by the Lagos State government.

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“It’s already a bad day. I have been up since as early as 6 am with the plan of getting to Ikeja as early as possible, only to come here and meet a terrible fate,” one stranded commuter said.

“Shebi if there was marwa or okada, I would have found my square root.”