By Hunvio Elizabeth Residents and commuters along the Lagos Badagry Expressway are beginning to breathe a sigh of relief as the Lagos Stat...
By Hunvio Elizabeth
Anyone who has passed through Iyana Iba, the LASU main gate, or the Alaba Rago stretch in the last 48 hours would have noticed a visible transformation. The road now appears wider, movement is slightly freer, and the usual congestion caused by roadside activities has reduced significantly. This development follows sustained complaints from commuters who endure hours of traffic daily, especially those traveling between Badagry, Mile 2, and other parts of Lagos.
On the ground, the operation has focused on the removal of illegal shanties, makeshift shops, and containers that had extended far beyond their approved spaces and encroached on the expressway. These structures, according to officials, not only narrowed the road and worsened traffic but also blocked drainage channels, increasing the risk of flooding whenever the rains begin.
From the LASU gate through to the busy Alaba Rago market, enforcement teams were seen dismantling clusters of roadside structures often described by residents as shanty settlements. These areas, long associated with disorderly trading and unregulated activities, had become a permanent feature of the traffic problem on the expressway.
For residents of the Badagry division, Iyana Iba has remained the most frustrating bottleneck on an otherwise manageable route. Many commuters recount smooth drives from Agbara or Okokomaiko only to spend up to two hours navigating the chaos around the Iyana Iba bus stop. With the recent clearance, there is renewed hope that daily travel time will reduce and the expressway will become safer and more efficient.
While the exercise has affected some petty traders who lost their stalls, many road users believe the long term benefits outweigh the immediate discomfort. A clearer roadway means fewer traffic jams, reduced exposure to street crime that thrives in congestion, improved drainage, and a more orderly appearance befitting a major gateway into Lagos.
The state government has however warned that the operation is not a one off exercise. Authorities insist that the right of way along the Lagos Badagry Expressway will be protected and that enforcement will continue to prevent a return to illegal roadside trading and structures. Traders and transport operators have been advised to ensure they operate only in approved locations to avoid future losses.
As the cleanup is expected to move further toward the Mile 2 axis in the coming days, residents are urged to cooperate with officials and comply with existing regulations. For now, the message from Iyana Iba is clear Lagos is making a serious attempt to fix the traffic nightmare on the Badagry Expressway and commuters are hopeful that this time the change will last.
Photo Credit: Facebook
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