For the umpteenth time, the Moro bridge along Okolowo- Alapa road, in the suburb of Ilorin, connecting Kwara state to neighbouring Oyo state, collapsed in the early hours of Thursday.
The bride reportedly collapsed overnight under the weight of a heavy-duty truck.
The bailey bridge constructed by Nigerian Army Engineers, during the civil war, was said to be long over due for total overhaul defying several efforts by motorists, federal ministry of works and the Kwara state to fix it for temporary use.
According to reports, the incident has disrupted movement along the route, raising concerns among commuters and residents who rely heavily on the bridge for daily transportation and economic activities.
In a viral video seen online, the wreckage of the bridge revealed a truck turned upside down, believed to have been plying the route at the time of the collapse.
Furthermore, the footage showed an ongoing concrete bridge construction project behind the collapsed structure, which appeared to have reached about 40 per cent completion.
The development has sparked reactions from residents, many of whom expressed fears over accessibility and safety in the area.
Meanwhile, the state government said it was working with federal authorities to immediately divert traffic to alternative routes .
The government said it was immediately deploying engineers from the ministry of works to begin palliative work on the alternative route, thereby easing vehicular traffic along the corridor.
It added that it has assurances that federal authorities is going ahead with the new Moro bridge which is already under construction a few meters away.
“State traffic managers are to work with transport unions and commuters to maintain orderly passage on the alternative route while palliative work begins immediately on the old iron-made bridge,” according to a statement by the Kwara State ministry of works.
“We call for patience and understanding of road users and others while the emergency is resolved”, the statement added.