A serious incident was averted on Friday as a passenger train derailed along the Abeokuta–Odeda–Ibadan Highway, nearly hitting several traders and customers in the area.
The derailment led to the closure of the busy road and caused significant traffic delays.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, the train derailed at Kila, and it narrowly missed the crowded roadside stalls by inches.
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“It was a close call. If the train had veered slightly more, many of us would have been crushed,” one of the traders said.
As of press time, the cause of the derailment remains unclear, but authorities stepped in to manage the resulting traffic congestion.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps urged motorists, particularly those passing through the area, to steer clear of the affected route and consider alternative routes such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
According to a statement from its spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the agency is coordinating with the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation to clear the blockage and restore the flow of traffic.
He said, “In view of the blockage of the Abeokuta-Odeda-Ibadan Highway caused by a train at Kila, motorists are advised to take alternative routes. TRACE, the Police, and FRSC are in liaison with the NRC to resolve the situation.”
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