Heavy traffic and multiple accidents left commuters stranded for hours on the Osogbo-Gbongan road in Osun State, with limited presence of traffic enforcement officers

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]sogbo-Gbongan road traffic was brought to a standstill on Thursday as multiple accidents and poor traffic management caused hours-long delays, leaving many commuters stranded across key points of Osun State.

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The congestion, which stretched between Akoda and Sekona, saw vehicles trapped for nearly four hours, especially after a truck rammed into a car at Sekona junction, further exacerbating the gridlock along the major route linking Osogbo and Gbongan.

According to eyewitnesses, only a handful of officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and security personnel were present at the scene, struggling to manage the escalating situation.

The Public Enlightenment Officer of the FRSC in Osun, Agnes Ogungbemi, confirmed that some individuals sustained injuries and were taken to a private hospital in Ede, though full casualty figures were not yet available. “Other details are not available yet,” she said.

Another accident earlier in the day contributed to the chaos, while some areas in Osogbo metropolis also suffered from significant congestion due to increased travel linked to the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

Commercial drivers reportedly took advantage of the situation by hiking transport fares.

Speaking from the traffic hold-up, Mojeed Olamilekan, a commercial driver en route to Osogbo from Lagos, voiced his frustration:

“I have been on this spot for 1 hour. I arrived at Sekona junction at about 10:05. I am still a few metres away from the same spot one hour later.

This is uncalled for. People are misbehaving because security men and FRSC officials are not many. We should not be having a situation like this on this busy road.”

Another commuter, Tajudeen, travelling from Ibadan to Ila Orangun, said he had been stuck for nearly four hours:

“I have spent about 3 hours, 45 minutes in the gridlock. People are unruly, but you can also see that law enforcement officers are not enough.

Two accidents occurred, but that should not have caused this kind of hardship here.”

Additional traffic bottlenecks were observed within Osogbo city, particularly around Oja Oba, Oke Fia, Old Garage, Igbona, and Ota Efun, as festive movement and fare inflation took their toll on residents.

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As of Thursday evening, normal flow was yet to resume fully, and officials warned motorists to remain cautious and patient while emergency services continued clearance efforts.