Flood Submerges Ore-Benin Expressway, Strands Motorists

Hours of heavy rainfall have submerged a section of the Ore-Benin road along the Lagos-Benin Expressway, leaving hundreds of commuters and motorists stranded and causing severe traffic congestion.

The flooding, which affected a stretch of the busy highway, forced drivers to move cautiously through the waterlogged section, while many others were trapped in long queues stretching several kilometres.

Videos circulating on social media showed floodwaters covering a significant portion of the expressway, with motorists struggling to navigate the road amid fears of vehicle breakdowns and possible accidents. Some passengers were seen waiting by the roadside as frustration mounted over the recurring flooding along the strategic route.

One of the stranded motorists, identified simply as Henry, described the situation as traumatic and appealed to government authorities for urgent intervention.

“Everyone is stuck here. We need urgent government attention right now. We were travelling to Lagos from Ondo State when we encountered the flood. The situation is terrible,” he said.

The flooding reportedly caused prolonged delays, with many travellers spending several hours on the highway as vehicles cautiously passed through the submerged section.

The incident has again highlighted the vulnerability of the Ore axis of the federal highway during the rainy season, when heavy downpours frequently overwhelm drainage systems and inundate parts of the road.

The Ore-Benin corridor is one of Nigeria’s busiest transport routes, serving as a major link for the movement of passengers, goods and petroleum products between the South-West, South-South and South-East regions.