By Peter Omopo
Traffic was brought to a standstill on Wednesday along the Lagos-Ore-Benin Expressway after truck drivers blocked the Oniparaga axis of the highway in protest against alleged extortion by police officers in Ondo State.
The action resulted in heavy gridlock, leaving hundreds of motorists and passengers stranded for several hours on one of the country’s busiest transport corridors. The disruption caused significant delays for commuters and commercial transport operators travelling along the route.
Several affected travellers appealed to relevant authorities to intervene promptly and resolve the impasse in order to restore normal traffic flow and reduce the hardship experienced by road users trapped in the congestion.
However, the Ondo State Police Command has dismissed claims that the protest was triggered by police extortion.
In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, described reports circulating on social media as false and misleading.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the traffic disruption stemmed from the actions of a tanker driver who allegedly blocked the highway following a disagreement with officers performing lawful duties.
The command maintained that the incident was unrelated to allegations of extortion and insisted that it was not a coordinated protest against police activities.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Felix Ohagwu, has directed the deployment of additional personnel to the affected area to restore order, manage traffic and ensure the safety of commuters and other road users.
The police urged members of the public to disregard unverified reports regarding the incident and await official information from the command.
Authorities are continuing efforts to ease the congestion and restore normal movement along the highway.
