Travellers heading south were caught in a massive gridlock on the Lokoja–Abuja axis, with vehicles barely moving over a stretch of less than five kilometres.
Despite assurances by President Bola Tinubu’s administration that normal traffic flow has been restored on the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway, thousands of travellers were on Monday morning stranded for several hours on the busy highway, exposing what commuters described as official denial and infrastructural neglect at the peak of the Christmas travel season.
Travellers heading south were caught in a massive gridlock on the Lokoja–Abuja axis, with vehicles barely moving over a stretch of less than five kilometres.
As of about 6:30am, the road had effectively become a parking lot, forcing families, commercial drivers and long-distance commuters to spend the night inside their vehicles.
Road users described the situation as chaotic, exhausting and dehumanising, with many lamenting the absence of traffic officials, emergency responders or contractors at the scene.
The gridlock occurred at the height of festive travel, once again highlighting what commuters see as the Federal Government’s habitual failure to manage critical road infrastructure, particularly during high-traffic periods such as Christmas.
In a video posted by one Nda Aaron and seen by SaharaReporters, hundreds of vehicles, including buses, trailers and private cars, were seen locked in stationary traffic, stretching far into the distance.
Several motorists blamed the crisis on ongoing road construction and the apparent disappearance of contractors, who eyewitnesses said had shut down operations and travelled for Christmas without providing traffic control, diversions or temporary relief routes.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, the ministry attributed the earlier disruption to a standoff between truck drivers and military personnel over the weekend.
According to the statement, the incident allegedly began after a truck’s windscreen was smashed, prompting truck drivers to block part of the road in protest.
The blockade, the ministry said, caused severe traffic congestion and hardship for road users travelling toward Lokoja and other destinations during the festive season.
The statement read, "In response, the Honourable Minister directed the immediate opening of already completed sections of the Expressway and approved the deployment of all necessary measures to restore free movement and ease the hardship being experienced by the road users.
"The directive, which was promptly implemented on Sunday, 21st December, 2025, has helped to decongest the affected corridor and improve traffic flow. The Federal Controller of Works, Kogi State, Engr. Patiko Isah disclosed that ‘The Field Headquarters, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other security agencies, restored the free flow of traffic at about 2:00 a.m., today.’
"While addressing the development, Engr. Umahi appealed to motorists to remain patient, orderly, and cautious, particularly, during this peak holiday travel period. He reassured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable road transportation nationwide.”