Lagos coastal road records 860 traffic incidents, 17 deaths in 2026 — LASTMA

General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, on Thursday revealed that between January till date, 860 traffic-related incidents have been recorded on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, with 17 lives lost.

Disclosing this during a media parley held in Lagos on Thursday, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki also revealed that 365 incidents have also been recorded since January to date on Otedola Bridge, claiming 15 lives.

According to the LASTMA General Manager, “Over the years, LASTMA has been able to evolve from a mere traffic control organisation into a sophisticated institution that has focused on road safety, feedback from the public, that is, citizens’ engagement, and quick response to traffic incidents on Lagos roads.

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“However, if you notice, there has been an increase in the rate of accidents on certain transit routes in the state. Part of what the agency has been able to package for traffic advocacy is to engage all the drivers.

“If you look at Lagos, the geographical location of the state has placed it at a disadvantage in terms of landmass. Out of the total land space in the country, Lagos has less than 1 per cent, about 0.4 per cent, compared to vehicular intensity in the state. Today, Lagos has the highest number of vehicles in the entire stretch of West Africa, to contend with a limited land space.

“Our core responsibility is to ensure seamless mobility despite this limitation. Our concentration has been on the major crossing points, especially to reduce the damage on these roads.

“For instance, from Otedola Bridge to Kara, between January and September, the total number of traffic incidents, including accidents and vehicle breakdowns, on that route is over 365. This has claimed about 15 lives.

“This week, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Gary, led a team from the federal side, while the Honorable Commissioner for Transport, Lagos, led the Lagos team to re-examine and evaluate the causes of this damage on our roads, and it’s not going to be limited to the Otedola Bridge. With time, there will be an arrangement.

“Also, on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal road, there has been an increase in accidents on that stretch too. From January to date, the total number of accidents or traffic incidents that have occurred on that coastal road is over 860, and it has claimed about 17 lives. You cannot quantify human life.

“Don’t let me bore you with these statistics. For Detty December proper, LASMA has been able to put in robust traffic management. We have done it before. It’s not new to us. But what we are bringing in this time is to improve or step up our traffic management. We have identified certain areas: Victoria Island, Lekki-Ajah, Surulere, Ikeja.

“We are deploying over 2,000 personnel to beef up these areas so that people can commute or move freely during the Detty December period.

“Also, we have mobilised enough recovery vehicles to be positioned at strategic locations so that this will aid our response time to accidents or traffic incidents.

“Also, it’s going to be a 24-hour arrangement. Apart from running shifts, we will have men that will work from 10 p.m. to 6 am in the morning so that people will be moving around during Detty December period freely over the night.“