Lagos residents has flouted the stay-at-home order amidst the current pandemic as hundreds of motorists were stranded in a heavy traffic on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The trending footage of the gridlock, showed the hundreds of vehicles that were stuck in traffic from Jakande Estate to Agungi on Monday.
However, some of the stranded motorists lamented over spending hours on a journey that have lasted minutes. While some noted that the heavy traffic was caused by security agents enforcing the lockdown by scrutinising motorists plying the road, others said not all those stuck in the gridlock were rendering essential services and thus, were exempted from the lockdown.
A motorist, who is a health worker, who spoke on a ground of anonymity, stated that she had to abort her journey to a hospital in the Ikeja area of the state after spending three hours in the traffic, adding that residents were not complying with the directive on the total lockdown of the state.
The medical personnel stated, “I spent three hours navigating through Igbo - Efon and Jakande roundabouts. I was on my way to work and driving out of Lekki when I ran into the gridlock around 10am . I was still in the traffic by 1pm and in that period , there was a heavy downpour, so, I had to turn back at the Jakande roundabout.
“ I learnt that the gridlock was caused by security agents enforcing the lockdown as they were stopping motorists and asking them where they were going . However, some of the people on the road were essential service providers . People are not complying with the lockdown at all .”
The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olajide Oduyoye , said, “There will be gridlock, because the police are all over the place checking that those who are supposed to be on the road are the ones that are allowed to be on the road and once that happens, there will be gridlock.
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