Broken trucks trap hundreds on Kaduna-Abuja highway

A massive traffic gridlock on the Kaduna-Abuja highway left hundreds of motorists and commuters stranded for several hours on Monday.

The congestion was caused by three broken-down trucks on the Rijana Bridge, paralyzing movement in that route completely.

According to a report published by Daily Trust, the obstruction stretched from Akilibu to Gidan Busa, forcing smaller vehicles to struggle through restricted spaces while heavy-duty lorries remained completely immobilized. As patience ran out, many motorists were forced to turn back towards Kaduna to access the alternative Kachia-Bwari route.

Confirming the incident, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander, Andrew Paul Longkam, disclosed that operatives were quickly deployed to manage the chaos. He explained that ongoing road construction, which narrowed the carriageway to a single lane, alongside a high volume of vehicles heading to a political campaign in Jigawa State, worsened the gridlock.

“Our team was able to remove two of the trucks from the road…As we speak, the report I am receiving indicates that traffic is flowing and the situation is gradually returning to normal”, Longkam.

The gridlock has left passengers and commercial drivers locked up for about eight hours. 

Based on the report, a commuter, Reuben Buhari, predicted that many truck drivers would likely be forced to spend the night on the highway due to the backlog. Another traveller identified as Sarah Monday told the News Agency of Nigeria that the standstill caused her to miss a scheduled contract meeting in Abuja.

Reacting to the recurring congestion on the Katari-Jere stretch, a retired road safety expert, Munkaila Sulaiman, urged the Federal Government to establish emergency response stations and restrict the movement of articulated vehicles during peak hours. He insisted that the ongoing road reconstruction must be managed with proper alternative passages.

“The authorities must first identify the major points responsible for the congestion instead of relying on assumptions…A truck breaking down at a narrow diversion can bring traffic movement to a complete standstill for several hours”.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Works to rigorously enforce completion deadlines for contractors handling the highway to alleviate the persistent suffering of motorists.