Several travellers were left stranded for hours on Monday after multiple accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles caused a severe traffic jam along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
The incident occurred at Gidan Busa, shortly before Katari, where the accidents brought movement to a standstill, leaving motorists, passengers and traders stuck under the scorching sun.
Many travellers reportedly missed important appointments and scheduled deliveries due to the prolonged gridlock.
A fashion designer, Sarah Monday, who was travelling to Abuja for a business meeting, said she missed her appointment because of the traffic situation.
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She appealed to the Federal Government to speed up the completion of the highway to reduce the difficulties experienced by road users, particularly during festive periods such as Sallah and Christmas.
The gridlock involved several heavy-duty vehicles, including cattle trucks, trailers, fuel tankers and lorries carrying different goods. Private cars and minibuses were also trapped in the long queue.
With traffic unable to move, some passengers climbed onto trucks and cargo loads while others waited beside the road, hoping the situation would improve.
A motorist, Abubakar Lawal, blamed the development on drivers’ impatience, saying nobody could predict when normal movement would resume.
Another traveller, Yusuf Aliyu, said he would have avoided the journey if he had known the condition of the highway.
A businessman, Adewale Usman, identified trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles as major contributors to the recurring traffic problems.
He urged the Federal Government to improve railway transportation so that fuel tankers and other heavy vehicles could transport goods over long distances without putting additional pressure on the highways.
A road safety official, who spoke anonymously, also blamed drivers’ lack of patience for some of the accidents.
The official disclosed that at least 20 accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles reportedly occur along the route every month, with several deaths recorded and livestock sometimes affected.
Meanwhile, some motorists who became frustrated with the situation reportedly turned back towards Kaduna, while others considered using the Kachia-Bwari road to reach Abuja.
The latest incident has renewed calls for the Federal Government to complete the highway and address the recurring accidents and traffic congestion affecting travellers.
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