By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Residents living along the Lagos-Ibadan Highway, spanning Kosofe and Ikeja Local Government areas, have raised concerns about the safety of pupils and pedestrians using the 7UP pedestrian bridge. The bridge’s major railing has collapsed, posing a significant threat to students during the morning and after-school hours. They are urging the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to take immediate action and repair the damaged bridge. So far, the Lagos State Government has not shut it down for safety reasons.
For years, this pedestrian bridge has been essential for students and commuters, but its current condition has raised serious safety concerns. Ahmed Rukayat Olashile Olaitan, a concerned resident, shared a video of the bridge, accompanied by an appeal to the appropriate authorities to address the deplorable state of the 7UP pedestrian bridge.
Olaitan mentioned that an appeal was made to the Lagos State Government three weeks ago regarding the bridge’s state. She emphasized that schoolchildren from Ikosi-Isheri LCDA use this bridge daily to reach Oregun Junior and Secondary School and implored authorities to find a lasting solution to the issue.
During a visit by Kosofe Post on Thursday, a student from Oregun Senior High School, O. Mubarak, expressed the danger posed by the bridge’s current state, as people often push each other. He pleaded for government intervention, saying, “Please, government, help us and fix this bridge. We don’t want to die.”
A female beggar near the bridge added her voice to the plea on behalf of the schoolchildren. She highlighted the daily near misses on the bridge and requested that the railings be fixed and the roof removed to prevent hazards.
However, a trader under the bridge by the motorway’s end expressed frustration with the situation. He emphasized the need for urgent attention to prevent accidents, especially during rainy weather and at night when the lighting no longer works. He pleaded for the repair of the bridge’s railings to save children’s lives.
Numerous pedestrians have separately called on the state government to address this critical issue. A tweet sent to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing about the bridge’s condition has yet to receive a response.