Motorists plying the Lokoja-Abuja highway have been left stranded due to gridlock, barely days before Christmas.
The snarling traffic on the route has persisted for three days.
Drivers interviewed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) said they have been on the road since early Saturday with no end in sight.
“It is now 8 p.m., and I have been here since 7 a.m. with my family, heading to Enugu,” one motorist said.
The gridlock has been most severe around Koton Karfe.
Reports indicate that the congestion was caused by two fallen trucks on the road.
Estimates put the pile-up of trucks and vehicles at between three and five miles.
Some commuters were forced to take extremely dusty off-road diversions to bypass the blockage.
Security operatives, including personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), have been deployed in the area to ease the congestion.
The Kogi state government had kicked off interventions to prevent traffic congestion on the highway ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The team from the state government, led by Jerry Omodara, state security adviser, had inspected critical sections of the highway and identified areas requiring immediate attention to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the peak travel period.
Omodara said the exercise was approved by the state executive council to avert recurring festive season gridlock.
The state government stated that the measures were designed to ensure safe and seamless travel for commuters during the holiday season.
