Passengers and motorists have been stranded for days on the Lokoja-Abuja highway following a prolonged traffic gridlock caused by the deplorable condition of the road, ongoing repair works and a road accident at Bada.
The congestion, which began on Thursday night, persisted into Sunday, leaving travellers trapped for several hours on the major highway.
A visit to the affected areas by LEADERSHIP NEWS showed several vehicles stuck in traffic, while frustrated passengers abandoned their vehicles and trekked long distances in search of alternative means of transportation.
Some of the stranded travellers said they were travelling from Kaduna to the eastern part of the country.
Checks by LEADERSHIP showed that the congestion, which initially built up around Gegu-Eba in Kogi Local Government Area, had extended to Nataco in Lokoja Local Government Area and Gegu-Beki in Kogi Local Government Area.
A passenger, Hamza Aliyu, said he spent more than seven hours travelling between Banda and Lokoja, despite the distance being less than five kilometres.
Another passenger, Ogunye Haruna, said he paid N6,000 to hire a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as an okada, from Jamata to Nataco.
“I had to pay N6,000 on okada to get to this place, Nataco. In the process, I almost lost my phone. As you can see, I am already worn out. I have missed my appointment already.
“We want the government to come to our aid. People are really suffering,” he said.
Passengers attempting to cross the River Niger Bridge from the Lokoja axis were reportedly charged as much as N6,000 per person, while similar fares were demanded from travellers approaching from the Abuja axis.
Many travellers were forced to trek considerable distances before boarding motorcycles or finding other alternative means of transportation.
Meanwhile, personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, security agencies and other relevant authorities have been working to ease the congestion and restore the free flow of traffic.
The latest gridlock has renewed concerns over the condition of the Lokoja-Abuja highway, one of Nigeria’s major road corridors, particularly as the year-end travel period approaches.
