Gridlock Strands Hundreds on Lokoja-Abuja Highway

Hundreds of passengers and motorists have been stranded for days along the Lokoja-Abuja highway due to a prolonged gridlock that began on Thursday night. The gridlock is attributed to the deplorable condition of the road and a road accident at Bada.

As of Saturday, travelers remained trapped for hours on this busy highway. A visit to the affected sections revealed that several vehicles had been stuck since Thursday, with frustrated passengers abandoning their vehicles to find alternative means of transportation.

Some passengers, traveling from Kaduna to Imo State, reported significant disruptions to their journeys. Commercial motorcycle operators, known as okada riders, took advantage of the situation, charging stranded passengers as much as N6,000 per person to cross the River Niger Bridge from the Lokoja axis.

Similar fares were reported for passengers coming from the Abuja axis. This situation has created severe hardship for travelers, many of whom have had to trek long distances to find motorcycles or other available transportation options.