The Federal Road Safety Corps has attributed the persistent gridlock on the Lokoja-Abuja road to motorists’ impatience and lack of cooperation with traffic officials.
The Kogi State Command of the FRSC expressed frustration over the traffic snarl, which has stretched from Ogbobo/Ozi to the Murtala Mohammed Bridge at Koton-Karfe since Sunday.
The FRSC Sector Commander in Kogi, Mr. Kumar Tsukwam, stated that despite continuous efforts by officials to clear the congestion, the impatience of drivers has worsened the situation.
“The situation is sad and very unfortunate considering the time motorists and commuters spend before crossing the gridlock to continue with their journey,” Tsukwam said.
He explained that the gridlock stems from multiple factors, including ongoing road construction, broken-down vehicles on the single lane, and motorists’ refusal to follow orderly traffic management.
“The gridlock is from Ogbobo/Ozi to Murtala Mohammed Bridge at Koton-Karfe in Kogi. Aside from the fact that the road is under construction, some vehicles broke down on the single lane coupled with motorists’ impatience,” he said.
“I think motorists are to be blamed for their display of impatience and blocking their colleagues coming from the opposite direction. We are trying our best to clear the road to ensure easy passage for the travellers on the road,” he added.
Motorists and commuters have endured severe hardships due to the congestion. Mohammed Yusuf, a driver, revealed that a trip from Abuja to Lokoja that should take a few hours lasted nine hours.
“I had passengers from Abuja traveling to Lokoja. I left Abuja some minutes to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday but could only reach there (Lokoja) by midnight. I’m here at Natako park this Monday morning trying to get passengers to return to Abuja with the hope that the gridlock might have reduced,” Yusuf said.
He lamented the waste of fuel caused by the prolonged standstill, particularly painful given the current high cost of petrol.
Christopher Adamu, a commuter, shared a similar ordeal, stating that he spent the entire night in the gridlock after leaving Abuja on Sunday evening.
Adamu urged authorities to take urgent action to clear the congestion and restore free movement on the vital route. He noted that the right lane from the Murtala Mohammed Bridge to Koton-Karfe remains blocked due to construction work by a company handling repairs on the Lokoja-Abuja road from Koton-Karfe to Abaji.
The FRSC continues to appeal for motorists’ patience and cooperation to ease the traffic situation while construction progresses.