By The Oyo State Government has directed motorists and traders operating along major roads around Iwo Road in Ibadan to vacate the roads immediately and relocate to the designated bus terminal, in a move aimed at restoring order and preventing further road mishaps.
The directive, issued through the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), comes in the wake of growing concerns over traffic congestion, environmental disorder, and increasing safety risks linked to roadside activities.
Chairman of the agency, Adekoya Adesagba, said the decision followed reports that transport operators had abandoned the government-built terminal and returned to unauthorised roadside operations.
Adesagba warned that indiscriminate parking and roadside trading not only disrupt traffic flow but also heighten the risk of accidents, stressing that compliance would be strictly enforced.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining traffic discipline and ensuring a safer, more organised transport system across the state.
Tragedy Sparks Renewed Enforcement
The government’s directive follows a recent tragedy that has raised criticisms against roadside transport practices in Ibadan.
Recall that AfrikTimes reported a fatal road accident involving a Bovas Oil tanker that allegedly lost control from the Oja-Oba axis before ramming into commercial tricycles and other vehicles from Beere down to Oje Market. The incident left at least two people dead, several others injured, and multiple public transport vehicles destroyed.
Findings from the report revealed that sections of the affected route had been converted into makeshift motor parks, where commercial drivers load passengers along the roadside. Traders were also observed displaying goods on road shoulders, significantly narrowing the space available for vehicular movement.
The report further noted that although the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA) has carried out intermittent operations to remove roadside traders, enforcement against illegal roadside parks has remained limited, allowing the practice to persist.
Against this backdrop, the government’s latest directive is widely seen as a direct response to the structural lapses exposed by the Beere-Oje incident.
Iwo Road Bus Terminal
The Iwo Road Bus Terminal, also known as the Ibadan Central Bus Terminals, was developed to serve as a structured alternative to chaotic roadside transport systems.
The facility consists of two interconnected terminals (Terminals 1 and 2) linked by a fortified pedestrian bridge designed to ensure safe and seamless movement of commuters. It was commissioned on November 12, 2024, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and has remained operational since then.
The terminal is part of a broader transport reform initiative in the state, with similar facilities located at Challenge, Ojoo, and the New Ife axis, all aimed at improving urban mobility and reducing disorder on major roads.
