Motorists and travellers plying the Lagos –
Ibadan Expressway were stranded for over
seven hours yesterday following a prolonged
traffic gridlock caused by the National
Convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of
God(RCCG). Those heading to the east and other parts of the
country for the weekend from Lagos as well as
those journeying to Lagos from different
locations were pinned to a spot during the
lockdown. Though operatives of the Federal Road Safety
Corps (FRSC) from Ogun, Oyo and Lagos
Commands made frantic efforts to control traffic
jam, the nightmare had worsened by noon. At the RCCG Camp KM 46 stretch of the
expressway, the situation became chaotic as
worshippers desperate to beat the gridlock
before the end of the convention compounded
the stand-still. The weeklong convention, which started last
Monday, peaked yesterday thousands of
worshippers trooped into the camp. Others struggled to leave the convention, which
ends today. An Abeokuta-based transporter, Mr Nurein
Mudashiru, told our correspondent that he
spent six hours in the jam for a return trip from
Lagos – Abeokuta. The Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety
Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, Adegoke Adetunji, told
The Nation that the convergence of large
number of worshippers as well as those wishing
to go home caused the traffic jam.