Thousands of holiday travellers have been stranded on the Lokoja–Abuja highway as a massive gridlock brought traffic to a standstill just days before Christmas.
The traffic chaos, which has dragged on for three days, left motorists exhausted and frustrated, with many families spending endless hours on the road without movement.
Drivers who spoke with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) said the situation has been unbearable since Saturday morning.
“It is now 8 p.m., and I have been here since 7 a.m. with my family, heading to Enugu,” one motorist said.
The worst-hit stretch is around Koton Karfe, where reports indicate that two fallen trucks triggered the congestion, causing a long build-up of vehicles.
Estimates put the backlog of trucks and cars at between three and five miles, turning the highway into a parking lot.
Desperate commuters were forced to abandon the main road, taking extremely dusty and rough off-road routes in a bid to escape the logjam.
Security operatives, including officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), have since been deployed to manage traffic and restore movement.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government said it had already begun preventive measures ahead of the Christmas and New Year rush.
A state intervention team led by the Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, had earlier inspected key sections of the highway and identified danger points requiring urgent attention.
Omodara explained that the move was approved by the State Executive Council to prevent recurring festive-season gridlock.
The state government maintained that the measures were aimed at guaranteeing safe and seamless travel for commuters during the holiday season.
