Living in Lagos is a gamble, and life is the wager. Nine of 10 passengers lost their lives when an overtaking haulage truck swerved and its 20-foot container fell on a waiting bus.

It was not the first time that such a fatal accident would occur on Ojuelegba bridge. FIJ confirmed that Ojuelegba has seen at least one truck accident annually in the last nine years. Sunday’s fatal crush has, however, renewed calls for the state government to take responsibility for the bridge, but those who live and work close to the bridge think the state government will do nothing as usual. 

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“This type of accident happens every year. It’s now difficult to refer to it as an accident. It’s so avoidable, but we are left to look forward to a new year with another trailer falling on this bridge. This thing is like a deliberate evil,” Moses, a middle-aged man, told FIJ about 100 metres away from the bridge’s landing. 

“There was a time they told the trucks to stop climbing the bridge. If you tell them to stop using the bridge, you will see that there won’t be so many truck accidents around this side. I know because I don’t even remember trucks falling on their side that time. So, I can bet it that we won’t see half of these kinds of accidents.”

Moses could not say exactly who ordered the haulage trucks to avoid the bridge. FIJ asked why the trucks resumed the use of the bridge after they had previously avoided it, and he said:

“I think they continued using the bridge because of the gridlock that we started having when they went through that one way.” 

Just by the side of the bridge’s landing is a service lane. That service lane will lead traffic to the other end of the bridge if motorists desire to go that direction.

According to Moses, the saturation of haulage trucks in this single service lane would create dense traffic congestion. Haulage trucks will take longer to get to their destination. For this reason, they decided to risk a handful of crashes that will cost human lives in consecutive years.

READ MORE: Since 2014, Ojuelegba Has Seen a Truck Accident Every Year — And 17 People Have Died

“The driver of the trailer, has he been found?” Joseph, a resident of Ojuelegba, quizzed.

“We don’t have his name; he must have escaped. Whosoever they have in custody, we have to be very sure he is the actual driver.”

Joseph, an elderly citizen, said that he was not an eyewitness to the accident but he expressed doubt that the driver of the haulage truck would be held responsible for reckless driving.

“That was murder. It was like the truck tried to move up the bridge with speed and jerked sideways. I didn’t see it until pictures came later on the net.”

Another person, a trader who wished not to be named, expressed similar thoughts with Joseph.

“Yes, I am aware of what happened on this bridge on Sunday. The trailer that was carrying the container was climbing the bridge. The other danfo was waiting just after the fire service building.

“Maybe the container was not well locked down. The container fell from that part of the bridge onto the bus. I suspect the trailer drove a bit carelessly as it climbed the bridge.”

The container was resting a few metres from the fire service building when FIJ visited the scene.

FIJ observed numerous haulage trucks ascend the bridge.

A couple of police vans, two Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) vehicles and some Federal Road Service Commission (FRSC) officials, were at the scene of the accident monitoring traffic.

FIJ sent a message and mail to Frederic Oladeinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, but got only an automated response acknowledging receipt.

Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Transportation, had not responded to a message at press time.

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Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Director-General, spoke with FIJ on Monday and blamed vandals for removing metal barriers around the bridge.

“It is possible that accidents over the years have damaged the barriers, but if it was the accidents, you would still see the metal,” Oke-Osaynyintolu told FIJ. “They have been vandalised. These accidents could have been avoided.”

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the metal barriers on the bridge ought to be ready to catch falling trucks and their containers.

However, residents believe it would be safer if the haulage trucks don’t ascend the bridge with heavy containers.

“I blame the state government for not reacting to this on time. They have failed to maintain this bridge. That’s why the barriers are missing long enough for a container to fall over. But must these containers move over this bridge?” Joseph asked.

“If there is a way these trailers can stop going up that bridge, that would be a solution. Our enforcement agencies also need to make sure these trailers are roadworthy,” Moses told this reporter.

“The drivers are careless sometimes, and they often go scot-free.”

The Lagos State Government is yet to give an address on its interventions in case of future haulage truck accidents.