Abuja Traffic

Yemi Akinsuyi   in  Abuja

FRSC blames tanker drivers

Since Wednesday, travellers on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway have been witnessing harrowing experience as the recently flooded road was blocked and passengers were forced to stay along the road for hours before getting to their various destinations.
One of the travellers, who spoke to THISDAY yesterday morning said he left Abuja as early as 5:30 am on Wednesday to Ilorin, Kwara Stat, but spent well over 14 hours between Abuja and Lokoja road.

The traveller, who preferred anonymity, said some of the passengers, who could not stand the inconvenience caused by the long hours of staying in a spot, fell sick and were rushed to nearby health centres.
When contacted on phone on the cause of the traffic snarl, the spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Jonas Agwu, blamed the situation on the protest by some tanker drivers, who blocked the road in protest of the shooting of one of their members by some military men.

Although Agwu said the situation has been brought under control by the officers and men of the commission attached to the area, he called for calm and patience on the part of drivers.
He said: “It is true that there was a traffic jam along Abuja-Lokoja road but as I am talking to you now, the situation has been brought under control. I can confidently tell you that the traffic situation is flowing. That is why I am appealing to drivers to obey traffic laws at all time for easy flow of vehicular and human movements along the busy road.

The FRSC spokesperson also enjoined Nigerians to, at least, reduce the urge to travel at every holiday, as he explained that this attitude usually lead to traffic jam in all major roads in the country.