The Lagos State Government has announced a night-time traffic diversion along the Fadeyi–Donmanlong and Donmanlong–Ojuelegba corridors to enable the installation of truck-restriction barriers, in what officials describe as a targeted effort to curb accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles on one of the city’s busiest routes.

Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi said the diversion will run from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., during which specific bridge sections along the corridor will be closed to traffic while engineers install the new barriers. The work has been deliberately scheduled for overnight hours to reduce the impact on daytime commuters, commercial transport operators and nearby businesses.

According to the commissioner, the affected sections include the approaches to the Donmanlong Bridge and the Ojuelegba axis, a stretch that has long been associated with intense traffic pressure and periodic crashes involving articulated trucks. The new barriers are designed to physically restrict the entry of vehicles that exceed approved height or weight limits, forcing such trucks to use alternative routes better suited to their size and load.

During the closure, motorists approaching from Fadeyi Donmanlong Bridge or Ayilara toward Ojuelegba are advised to divert through the service lane via Fadeyi, Jibowu, Empire and Donmanlong, then connect through Barracks Road to their destinations. Traffic management personnel are expected to be deployed along these alternative routes to guide drivers, manage bottlenecks and respond quickly to any incidents that may arise during the diversion period.

Osiyemi appealed for cooperation from motorists and urged patience, stressing that the barriers are intended to curb the reckless movement of heavy-duty trucks, which he described as a recurring cause of serious crashes and near-misses in the area. He noted that the state has recorded multiple incidents in which trucks either lost control on the bridge approaches or attempted to navigate restricted sections, endangering smaller vehicles and pedestrians.

The commissioner warned that the state would not tolerate vandalism or tampering with the new barriers or any other traffic infrastructure. He said security agencies and traffic enforcement officers have been put on notice to monitor the installations, adding that anyone caught damaging or removing components of the barriers would be arrested and prosecuted under existing laws governing public property and road safety infrastructure.

Beyond the immediate diversion, the installation of truck-restriction barriers forms part of a broader strategy by Lagos authorities to improve safety on key corridors that connect the mainland to major commercial hubs and ports. Officials have repeatedly highlighted the strain placed on the city’s road network by heavy-duty trucks, many of which operate at night and in the early hours of the morning, often in violation of designated movement windows or route restrictions.