Three persons have reportedly died after a low-bed truck conveying construction equipment crashed into and destroyed a section of the pedestrian bridge at the Tin Can Island First Gate area of Apapa, Lagos.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, was said to have claimed the lives of three persons while the truck was attempting to pass through the area.
According to an eyewitness account, two persons on the bridge fell to the ground after the structure was hit, while debris from the damaged bridge fell on another person beneath it, killing him.
The Head of Shipping, Air and Terminal Logistics, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Elder Ugochukwu Nnadi, confirmed the incident to Maritime Today News.
Nnadi said two persons walking on the pedestrian bridge fell and died, while the third person walking underneath the bridge was hit by falling debris and also died.
He, however, blamed what he described as a change in the traffic arrangement around the area for contributing to the incident.
According to him, oversized cargoes, including low-bed trucks carrying heavy equipment, were previously diverted through a bus lay-by provided by the Federal Ministry of Works instead of passing directly under the pedestrian bridge.
He alleged that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had cordoned off the lay-by, leaving the route inaccessible and forcing oversized vehicles to use the area around the bridge.
He added that before the lay-bys were cordoned off, oversized low-bed trucks approaching the area were diverted through the lay-by and did not pass underneath the pedestrian bridge.
“As the pedestrian bridge is, there is always a lay-by where buses can go and park, both at First Gate and Second Gate, but NPA cordoned both of them,. We do not know the reason/s that NPA took the decision, ” Nnadi said.
He added, “What this means is that the accident was caused by the reckless action of NPA that cordoned off the bus lay-by that was created by the Federal Ministry of Works.”
Nnadi called for accountability over the incident, saying the Port Manager who authorised the closure of the lay-by should be held responsible for the consequences and the cost of repairing the damaged bridge.
He also called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
When contacted, the Port Manager, Tin Can Island Port, Abubakar Sanni Isa was said to be out of the country, while the Traffic Manager, Kolo Audu did not respond to calls sent to him as at the time of filing in this report.
More to read
NPERA, NPA commence talks on transfer of inland dry port functions
Ehingbeti Hub: Stakeholders call for Coastal Resilience Fund to srengthen communities
Customs CG commissions rehabilitated primary healthcare centre in Eleme