Police disperse minibus drivers with tear gas for blocking Lekki-Epe Expressway

The operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday broke up a protest by Korope minibus operators who blocked the Lekki–Epe Expressway over restrictions placed on their operations along the corridor.

The protest, which led to severe gridlock and left many commuters stranded, was dispersed after police officers fired tear gas to clear the road and restore traffic flow.

Speaking after supervising the reopening of the highway, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, said minibuses and motorcycles are prohibited from operating on the expressway under existing traffic regulations.

Jimoh that the command received intelligence indicating that the protest had been infiltrated by hoodlums, adding that several suspects were arrested in connection with the disruption of movement on the road.

Jimoh warned that the police would not tolerate any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Lagos State.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation had on Tuesday criticised the demonstration, which disrupted traffic around the Ajah section of the highway.

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The Special Adviser on Transportation to the Governor, Sola Giwa, who made this known in a statement, said the Lekki–Epe corridor has officially been reclassified as a Mass Transit and Regulated Transport Corridor under the state’s Bus Reform Initiative.

Giwa said the policy shift was the outcome of extensive planning and data-driven assessments aimed at improving safety and efficiency within the transport system.

Giwa noted that the enforcement against unregulated Korope operations was preceded by consultations with transport unions and operators, as well as sensitisation campaigns and public notices.

He expressed concern that some operators, despite being fully informed of the new framework, chose to obstruct a major economic route relied upon by thousands of commuters daily.

The adviser cautioned that unregulated activities on the corridor could erode traffic management standards and reverse the progress already recorded through ongoing transport reforms.

He also commended the Nigeria Police Force for its prompt intervention and assured residents that security patrols along the expressway would be intensified to prevent a repeat of the incident.

The Star