Panic on Ilorin–Igbeti Road as Moro Bridge Collapses, Disrupts Traffic and Trade”

(Collapsed Moro bridge. Photo by Punch news)
Following the collapse of the Moro Bridge, traffic along the Ilorin–Igbeti Federal Highway in Kwara State's Asa Local administration Area was significantly affected, leading the state administration to act quickly.

According to information obtained by PUNCH Online, a heavy-duty truck's weight caused the bridge to collapse on Thursday at around five in the morning, severing a vital transportation route and trapping numerous commuters.

Drivers and other road users bemoaned the development, calling it a significant setback that has raised transportation costs, interfered with business operations, and slowed the flow of products and services.

"This development has negatively affected economic activities, causing delays and increasing the cost of transportation for commuters and businesses," a businesswoman who went by the name Kafayat told PUNCH Online.

In response, the Commissioner for Works, Engineer Abdulquawiy Olododo, announced an immediate traffic diversion to lessen the impact of the incident in a statement released through the Ministry's Press Secretary.

In order to minimize inconvenience and stop more incidents, he advised drivers to use caution when taking alternate routes.

"The Moro Bridge collapsed overnight, and the Kwara State Government is working with federal authorities to immediately divert traffic," the commissioner said.

"A heavy-duty truck crossed the bridge, causing a significant disruption along the route, and the collapse happened in the early hours of today," he continued.

He also revealed that engineers had been sent to the region to start palliative work on alternate roads to reduce traffic jams right away.

Olododo added, "Engineers have been mobilized to begin palliative work on diversion routes to reduce the hardship being experienced by road users."

He continued by saying that federal authorities had assured the state government that work on a new Moro Bridge, which is only a few meters from the fallen span, was in progress.

The commissioner added that despite pleading with commuters for patience, traffic managers had been instructed to work with transport unions to ensure orderly passage.

An essential link between Kwara and Oyo states is the Moro Bridge, which is situated along the Ilorin–Igbeti Federal Highway between Oko-Olowo/Mandala in Ilorin West and Asa Local Government Area.

For many years, the Bailey bridge, built during the colonial era, has served as a vital but precarious link between the northern district of Kwara and Oyo State, as well as roads leading to the border with the Benin Republic. Due to persistent structural degradation, it has undergone numerous rehabilitations throughout the years.