Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has publicly apologized to residents for the intense traffic gridlock caused by the repair work on the Independence Bridge near Bonny Camp, which has since been halted.
According to updates shared on X by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat, the governor arrived at the scene at “9:59 a.m.” to assess the situation firsthand. He was accompanied by several top officials from the state government.
Gawat quoted Governor Sanwo-Olu, explaining that the project—handled by “Messrs Buildwell Construction”—had been on the drawing board for “over three years”, aimed at preventing “a potential structural failure” of the bridge.
Despite the importance of the maintenance, Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the discomfort caused and assured Lagosians that steps would be taken immediately to ease the pressure on road users.
To reduce the traffic burden, the governor stated that “alternative routes would be better managed” and that there would be “increased deployment of traffic officers and security personnel”, similar to what was seen “during the festive season”.
He also appealed to residents to “adhere to traffic regulations” and advised that “businesses with remote work capabilities” should allow staff to work from home temporarily.
In a major development, the Federal Government has now reversed its earlier decision to completely shut down the bridge. The update was confirmed on Wednesday by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, through a statement from the Lagos Federal Controller of Works, Mrs Olukorede Kesha.
The Independence Bridge, which was closed on April 1 for urgent repairs, was initially expected to remain shut until May. However, after widespread complaints from the public about the resulting traffic jams, authorities have decided to adopt a less disruptive method to continue the rehabilitation work.
