Commuters were stranded for hours on Monday following a severe traffic gridlock along the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway, disrupting movement toward Abuja and neighbouring communities.

The congestion affected both lanes of the highway around Koton Karfe, near the Murtala Bridge in Kogi State, a critical transit corridor linking northern and southern Nigeria.

Travellers reported minimal movement for extended periods, with some spending several hours trapped in traffic.

Cause of the Disruption

Preliminary accounts indicate that heavy-duty trucks parked along sections of the expressway significantly narrowed the carriageway, triggering the bottleneck.

Video footage circulating online showed passengers attempting to navigate through the congestion while trailers remained stationed along the roadside.

A commuter, Gabriel, attributed the situation to indiscriminate parking and deteriorating road conditions.

“There was no accident to justify this level of traffic. But the trailers parked along the road have blocked movement. The road itself is in poor condition, and now everywhere is completely shut,” he said.

Recurring Challenge

Commuters blamed a combination of weak traffic enforcement, poor road infrastructure, and the persistent presence of stationary heavy-duty vehicles along the corridor.

The latest disruption comes less than two months after a similar gridlock left thousands stranded during the Yuletide travel period, underscoring ongoing structural and traffic management challenges on the expressway.

The Abuja–Lokoja Expressway remains one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, serving as a key gateway between the Federal Capital Territory and multiple southern states.

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