Chaos At Ojota Pedestrian Bridge.

There was palpable confusion and chaos yesterday morning at Ojota as many pedestrians were forced to queue
to use the only pedestrian bridge as the median through which people crossed the busy express road had been cordoned off.

Pedestrians trying to cross from Ikorodu Road towards Maryland collided on the bridge with people coming from the Ogudu axis.

The bridge was so overcrowded that hundreds of pedestrians queued at the foot of the bridge waiting for their turn to cross to the other side. 

Pedestrians who made attempts to make their way through the metal barricades were sent back by hefty bouncers.

When Lagos Metro visited the scene, many desperate pedestrians who said that they were late for work had already kicked down the barricade and were making frantic efforts to cross to the other side but were stopped by the bouncers who resorted to violence by rough handling some people.

Sensing that the situation was getting out of control, the bouncers and some Kick Against Indicipline (KAI) officials watched helplessly as the barricade was broken down and people crossed to the other side.

Speaking with Lagos Metro a banker who simply gave his name a Kola decried the situation, calling on Governor Ambode to build more bridges.

"I have been queuing here for the past one hour, just waiting to use the bridge. I am already late for work. This is suffering I tell you. We queue for fuel and yet we are being forced to queue to use the pedestrian bridge.

"We are not saying what the government is trying to do by safeguard the lives of citizens is not good, all we are saying is that they should build more bridges, preferably like the one at Onipanu that is partitioned for pedestrians going and coming." he said.

Another pedestrian who declined to give her name said, "like seriously I am tired of this country. I have been in the holdup for the past one hour all in the name of getting from Alausa to Ojota, now I am face with this chaotic situation.

"I teach in a school at Ogudu and I have been queuing here for the last thirty minutes. The way I am looking at this bridge it may collapse anytime soon because of the increase in the number of people that are presently using it," she said.

A KAI official who did not give his name described the situation as frustrating. "Lagosians are so impatient. The situation wouldn't have been this chaotic only if people listen to simple instruction," he said walking away from the scene, adding that he didn't want to be lynched by the angry crowd.