There was apprehension on Sunday over security concerns as a massive gridlock paralysed traffic on the Kaduna-Abuja highway, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded for hours.
The prolonged traffic jam, described by commuters as unbearable, has become a recurring problem on the route, particularly during festive periods, causing severe hardship for travellers.
Some passengers said they spent between five and six hours on the highway, a journey that ordinarily takes about two and a half hours.
The Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali M. Ali, who was also caught in the gridlock, expressed concern over the situation and called on the relevant authorities to take urgent steps to clear the congestion.
Ali further advocated the adoption of lasting and practical measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, stressing the need to safeguard commuters and ensure free flow of traffic on the busy highway.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said the gridlock being experienced on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, particularly from Greenville to Obasanjo Farm, was due to increased vehicular movement after the holidays and ongoing road construction.
The Sector Commander FRSC , Corps Commander (CC), Tijjani Iliyasu, disclosed this in an interview with NAN on Sunday in Kaduna.
He said the traffic build up was not unexpected due to the increase of vehicles’ movement after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
“And the fact that the construction company handling the road construction had returned to site,some road diversions earlier removed were now turned. But the most significant problems are behaviours, lack of lane discipline and impatience by the drivers.
“No need of panic, FRSC and Nigerian Army personnel are on the ground addressing the situation but drivers are urged to obey traffic laws and be cautious on the road,”Iliyasu said
