•FRSC officials on duty
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it has removed two articulated vehicles hindering the free flow of traffic at Koton-Karfi–Murtala bridge, Banda, and Lokoja highway.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed this today while assessing the traffic situation at the Lokoja gridlock alongside the Commissioner of Police and FRSC Sector Commander in Kogi, reports NAN.
Mohammed said that adequate personnel and logistics have also been deployed, adding that the Corps had strengthened inter-agency collaboration to restore vehicular movement and effective traffic control.
He said the combined efforts of the FRSC, the Nigeria Police and other sister agencies had yielded visible results, as traffic, though heavy, had begun to move.
“We are here together with the Commissioner of Police and the Kogi Sector Commander, and we have been able to control the situation to a reasonable extent.
“As you can see, the traffic is now moving slowly,” he said.
The FRSC boss identified broken-down trucks as a major cause of the gridlock, adding that proactive intervention by the Corps had helped to reduce the impact.
“There were challenges from broken-down trucks, but with the level of cooperation and the number of personnel deployed, we have been able to move these trucks.
“That is why, even though the road is still busy, traffic is flowing,” he said.
The Corps Marshal also attributed the severe congestion experienced in previous days to the surge in vehicular movement associated with the festive season, adding that the Corps responded by scaling up deployment.
According to him, “the increase in traffic due to festive movement led to congestion. Once we realised this, we deployed more personnel from Abuja and other locations to reinforce patrols here.
“The intervention had eased the situation significantly, allowing motorists to continue their journeys, albeit slowly.
“With this intervention, the road is now freer than before. The traffic is flowing, slowly because of the volume, but at least people are moving and getting to their destinations,” Mohammed said.
The FRSC boss explained that the on-the-spot visit was to provide leadership support, motivation and encouragement to officers and other personnel who had been managing the congestion for days.
Mohammed however, appealed to motorists to cooperate with traffic officials, warning that indiscipline, especially driving against traffic and failure to maintain lanes, had worsened the gridlock.
He emphasised that the KotonKarfe-lokoja would continue to be free as long as the driver avoid lane indiscipline and reckless driving.
Mohammed commended FRSC personnel and other agencies for what he described as “exceptional sacrifice”, noting that many officers had spent several days on the road without rest to ensure traffic flow.
“We are here to motivate our staff and other security agencies on ground, to give them support, so that motorists can travel on this road and reach their destinations.
“We are appealing to motorists to be disciplined and maintain lane discipline, so that all road users can have their way and get to their destinations without unnecessary delay.
“To our operatives, we want them to know that the entire Corps are with them. We appreciate them for staying here for three to four days, even sleeping on the road, to ensure that this traffic is cleared and movement is restored,” he said.
The FRSC Corps Marshal assured motorists that the Corps would sustain the intensified operations until traffic flow fully normalised and urged continued patience and cooperation from all road users.
Speaking, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Kankarofi, said adequate security measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of officers and men deployed for the operation.
Kankarofi attributed the restoration of vehicular movement along the Lokoja corridor to sustained interagency collaboration among security and traffic management agencies after three days of severe gridlock.
He said that the visit of FRSC Corps Marshal to the scene of the gridlock had boosted their morale, adding that the joint operation was able to address the traffic situation.
According to him, impatience and disregard for lane discipline by motorists significantly worsened the congestion.
“What compounded the problem was that many drivers were not respecting lane discipline.
“They were not patient enough to wait for traffic to move and kept forcing themselves into exit lanes and blocking them completely,” Kankarofi said.
The commissioner said that the situation improved following the coordinated intervention of security agencies.
“With the intervention of the FRSC, the police and other security agencies, we were able to clear the road. As you can see now, there is normal flow of traffic,” he said.
Kankarofi commended the FRSC Corps Marshal for personally visiting the scene from Abuja, noting that the visit strengthened morale and reinforced the importance of teamwork.
He added that as the lead security agency, the police would continue to coordinate efforts and appreciate the support received from sister agencies.
He appealed to drivers of articulate vehicles to abide with traffic rules and regulations and respect the rights of other road users.
