Look at these trucks; they have not only damaged the Ebute-Ipakodo road by making it unmotorable, they have channeled their beastly movement to the Ibeshe, Ebute-Igbogbo roads. Trucks carrying cargo containers in their hundreds are now encroaching on the only good tarred road in Ikorodu after they have severely damaged the Ebute-Ipakodo and other roads.
Our investigation reveals that these trucks are carriers of contraband goods seized by men of the Nigerian Customs Service and they are being shipped to the Ikorodu Port. The trucks, which come in several numbers everyday, have caused mayhem to the Ebute-Ipakodo road and damaged the roads by creating pot holes and craters.
They pose serious threat to commuters, especially at night, as they park indiscreetly along the road sides in large numbers. Car owners, who drive along these roads, are often scared of this assembly of trucks lined up for days.
The large influx of trucks into Ikorodu is caused by the border closure, where seized goods are moved by the long vehicles to Ikorodu Port to the appropriate channel. Residents of the Ebute-Ipakodo have since lost the tarred road, which has gone from a deplorable state to the worst state ever seen in history.
Residents of Ibeshe and its environs can only watch in dismay as the heavy trucks match across their roads, causing serious strain on them. As it is, the Ibeshe road is the only smooth road in Ikorodu division and was built during the former Governor Babatunde Fashola administration. The federal government has not helped in inner roads construction; yet, a government agency is directing heavy vehicles to use the road and wreak havoc on them.
It is so sad that our governments don’t respond to degenerating facilities until they are in complete dilapidation. The residents of Ibeshe have written a letter of complaint to the federal government but have not received any response as usual.
The unchecked activities of these trucks are also causing other social crime as some drivers divert containers into private houses to sell the contents to goons. We call on concerned authorities to find a way of putting a stop to these assembly of trucks and save the Ibeshe, Ebute-Igbogbo roads from total destruction.