Residents cry out as Oke-Odo Pedestrian Bridge turns love nest

In spite of the pedestrian bridge at the Ile-Epo market axis on the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, residents of Oke-Odo have continued to risk their lives by dashing across the road.

The development has led to many deaths as fast moving vehicles crush people who failed to adhere to warnings against crossing the expressway.

Some of the residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos said the facility had been converted into a meeting spot for lovers who use the bridge as a rendezvous of sorts.

They also said that hoodlums in the area have also taken advantage of the location of the bridge to perpetrate acts of illegality on pedestrians using the bridge.

Some of them complained about their health conditions, including age and rheumatic pains which prevented them from being able to climb the bridge.

The development, they said had made some residents, especially those with children to dash across the road, instead of using the bridge that was meant for their safety and well-being.

NAN reports that complaints from the residents to the authorities have prompted the police to increase its surveillance at day and night to ensure law and order in the locality

But in spite of the restoration of order by law enforcement agents, some pedestrians still preferred to dash across the road, instead of using the facility.

A trader, Mrs Olabisi Adeogun, told NAN that the reason why she was not using the bridge was because of her physical condition.

“I don’t have the strength to climb this bridge, I prefer to walk across the road which is easier for me,’’ she said.

On his part, Mr Daniel Udoye, a banker, told NAN that he preferred to cross the road at night for safety reasons.

He, however, urged the government to light up the pedestrian bridge at night to assure would-be users of their safety when they pass through bridge at night.

“By so doing we can comfortably use the bridge without any fear,’’ he added.

Mrs Adebimpe Adeoye, a business woman, said that she avoided the bridge because of the acts of immorality that was been perpetrated by the itinerant lovers on the bridge.

“When I leave my shop every day, I pass through the bridge with my children.

“I do not want my children to learn bad things from what they see these young girls and boys do on the bridge.

“And it also a big risk for me to take my children across the express because we have fast moving vehicles there.

“The government has given us the bridge to save our lives and not to destroy it, so they need to intensify their surveillance in this area especially on the bridge,’’ she said.

NAN reports that officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) said they had arrested over 7,000 persons for crossing the road instead of using the pedestrian bridge.

KAI’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tunde Olusesi, also told NAN that up to 30 defaulters are arrested on a daily basis.

“Pedestrian bridges are built to save lives, people should try and protect themselves by using the pedestrian bridge,’’ he said.

According to him, KAI officials will continue to arrest erring members of the public until they imbibe the act of using the pedestrian that was constructed for their safety.