For motorists using Oyetayo and Saka streets in Oshodi-Isolo Local Council of Lagos, every journey has become a gamble. 
 
Deep potholes, floodwater and bumper-to-bumper traffic now define what was once a smooth route, leaving drivers with damaged vehicles, lost income and growing fears that lives could be lost if nothing is done.
  
Residents and road users have appealed for urgent government intervention, saying the deteriorating roads have become death traps that disrupt businesses, destroy vehicles and expose commuters to avoidable accidents.
  
Large craters filled with stagnant water now dot the roads, forcing motorists to slow to a crawl or drive against oncoming traffic in desperate attempts to avoid damaging their vehicles. 
  
During rainfall, the potholes disappear beneath floodwater, making them even more dangerous for unsuspecting drivers.
  
A provision store owner on Saka Street, Mr John Chukwudi, said the problem started after heavy rainfall in 2022 but has steadily worsened.
 
“I have been doing business here for over four years. What started as a small pothole has become so wide that it looks like a river whenever it rains,” he said.
  
According to him, the poor state of the road has taken a heavy toll on businesses in the area as delivery vehicles now avoid the street or demand additional transport charges to compensate for the risk of damage.
  
“They now park far from my shop, forcing us to carry goods over a long distance. Some customers no longer come here because of the bad road, and that has reduced our daily income,” he said.
  
Chukwudi recalled several accidents linked to the road’s condition.
  
“Just two weeks ago, the tyre of a Toyota Corolla and its suspension got damaged after hitting the pothole. On another occasion, a woman fell off a motorcycle, but thankfully she survived.”
 
“Whenever it rains, the entire area is flooded. Water enters shops and even people’s homes.”
  
He appealed to the Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Council, Otunba Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, to intervene urgently.
  
“We have seen roads being repaired in other areas, but Saka Street has been forgotten. We are not asking for promises; we need action before someone loses a life,” he said.
  
For commercial tricycle operator, Mr Stanley Oluocha, the road has become a daily obstacle course that is draining both income and vehicle maintenance costs.
  
“The pothole has been here since last year, and it keeps getting bigger whenever it rains. Each time I drive through it, my tricycle shakes violently and passengers complain,” he said.
  
He explained that many commercial drivers now risk head-on collisions by veering into the lane for oncoming vehicles just to avoid the worst sections of the road.
  
“If you drive straight into the pothole, you risk damaging your tyres, shock absorbers or suspension. So, many drivers are forced to swerve, and that puts everybody in danger.”
  
According to him, several tricycle operators have spent thousands of naira repairing vehicles damaged by the road.
  
“Many new operators in our association have damaged their tyres after hitting the pothole. Before now, I could make between 15 and 20 trips daily, but now I hardly make 10 because of the traffic caused by the bad road. We spend more time trapped in traffic than carrying passengers.”
  
He also recounted a recent collision involving two vehicles.
  
“Just last month, one vehicle rammed into another while trying to avoid the pothole. It is painful because the offices of the Local government chairman, the Lagos State Task Force and the Vehicle Inspection Office are all located just around the corner from this road, yet nothing has been done.”
  
While acknowledging ongoing road rehabilitation in other parts of the council, Oluocha appealed to the authorities not to overlook Oyetayo and Saka streets.
  
“We appreciate the work being done on other roads, but we are begging the chairman to remember us. This is our community, and we voted for him. Please fix this road before the next accident claims a life.”
  
Responding to the complaints, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Dr Samuel Ayetutu, said the agency is aware of the deteriorating condition of roads across the state.
 
“We are deeply concerned about the condition of roads in Lagos, particularly because the continuous rainfall has hampered major road maintenance activities,” he said.
  
Ayetutu explained that the corporation has continued to carry out repairs whenever weather conditions permit while sustaining palliative interventions in other locations to reduce the hardship faced by motorists and residents.
  
“We remain committed to carrying out durable repairs on Lagos roads as soon as favourable weather conditions return. We appeal to residents to bear with us as we continue working to provide lasting relief,” he added.