Motorists and passengers plying the Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Falomo and some other parts of Lagos Island were on Wednesday held to several hours of gridlock due to the Economic Community of West African States 50th anniversary held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro correspondent learnt from multiple sources that several access roads were blocked to allow the movement of guests including, President Bola Tinubu and other heads of West African countries.
Multiple videos sighted by our correspondent showed passengers alighting from vehicles and resorting to trekking to avoid the gridlock.
Private and commercial vehicles were held to several hours of standstill as a result of the gridlock.
Our correspondent learnt that the access roads were blocked as early as 8 am by security operatives.
A passenger who identified as Tolu, told our correspondent that she was held in the traffic for more than four hours.
He lamented the poor planning in the diversion which he said subjected motorists to unnecessary stress.
Tolu said, “I have spent more than four hours in this traffic. There was heavy security presence everywhere because they claimed the President wanted to pass.
“I do not think they planned the diversion very well because one side of the road was not opened to traffic at all and this is a stress that could be avoided if they had planned very well.”
A motorist who was identified as Jamiu Driver disclosed that the traffic situation had caused his business a loss for the day as he could not meet up with the daily payment for his hired vehicle.
“This traffic has affected my business today because there is a target that I must meet to be able to pay for my daily delivery.
“I have spent several hours that I am supposed to make money in the traffic. So, today’s work is somehow because I cannot meet up with my delivery.”
Reacting, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, blamed the traffic on the diversions that were put in place due to the ECOWAS Summit.
He added that LASTMA officials were stationed at strategic points to manage the situation.
“Yes, there was traffic because of the ongoing ECOWAS Summit. LASTMA personnel are working strategically to manage the situation,” Taofiq said in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.
