By MUJIDAT OYEWOLE

Residents of Ilorin, the Kwara capital, have expressed concern over the influx of commercial trailers along Oko-Olowo and Oloje axis of the metropolis.

The residents said that the action endangers the lives of motorists and other road users.

They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin.

A commercial tricyclist, Mr Yusuf Adisa, said that more drivers of the articulated vehicles conveying petroleum and other goods are now plying some major streets in llorin through Oko-Olowo.

Adisa noted that the truck drivers had been plying the roads for a long time, occasionally and mostly in the evenings and nights, but recently they now ply the roads unchecked during day time.

He said that their movement was causing lots of havoc on the roads, as there were more potholes and traffic congestion from Oko-Olowo to Oloje, down to Adeta round-about.

Mr Idris Abdullah, a commercial motorcyclist, said that the increase in the number of trailers along Ogidi-Oloje axis had caused lots of accidents for motorcyclists.

Abdullah said that trailers are always on the road at great discomfort and obstruction to other road users, while some motorcyclists manoeuvre through the road shoulders, while some of them normally fall down with their passengers.

He said that most of the time, some motorcyclists had to leave the tarred road and pass beside the road, to enable them reach their passengers’ destination in good time.

Mrs Abeni Afenibaro, a resident of Oloje area, said that the increase in the number of trailers on the streets was scary and alarming.

She said that many children passing by the road side are prone to danger, especially with the schools resumption, many pupils found it difficult to cross the road.

Afenibaro said that several government workers and students got stuck on the road, due to traffic congestion caused by the trailers and eventually getting to their destination late.

The residents therefore pleaded with the state government to find lasting solution to the issue and make residential areas have easy and free movements with minimal stress.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Controller of Works in Kwara, Alhaji Wasiu Atitebi, said the Federal Ministry of Works was aware of the situation caused by some bad portions of the roads formerly plied by the trailers.

Atitebi however appealed to residents of the affected areas to exercise patience as the ministry was making effort to repair the bad portions of the roads. (NAN)

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