More than 28,000 residents of Aseese Community in the Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have called on the Federal Government to urgently construct a pedestrian bridge at the Aseese Bus Stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The residents, in a joint letter to the Federal Ministry of Works, expressed growing fears over daily pedestrian fatalities, particularly among schoolchildren and workers, who risk their lives crossing the high-speed expressway.
“The expressway splits the community in two, with about 10,500 residents living on the right side and roughly 18,000 on the left,” the letter stated. “The nearest public secondary schools are in neighbouring towns like Ibafo and Mowe, forcing children as young as 13 to cross the deadly road daily.”
Signed by the community’s Chairman, Lawrence Oyelakin, and General Secretary, Adebayo Enitan, the appeal emphasized that the pedestrian bridge is not a luxury but a matter of survival.
“We are tired of carrying dead bodies weekly,” the leaders lamented. “Our residents live in constant fear, just to get to work, school, or even church.”
The request is jointly backed by all 45 Community Development Associations in Aseese, the Baale, youth and market leaders, religious groups like the League of Imams and the Christian Association of Nigeria, as well as ethnic bodies including the Hausa and Igbo communities.
“The pedestrian bridge is required for the safety of lives, as the multiple lanes of the newly constructed dual carriageway pose a significant challenge to pedestrian movement,” the letter read in part.
The residents are urging President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to address their plight under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
