By Pius Awunah
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has announced the restoration of normal traffic flow on the Abuja–Lokoja Highway following a serious standoff between truck drivers and military personnel that led to a major blockade on the road over the weekend.
The blockade, which caused standstill traffic gridlock and left many travellers stranded, was reportedly triggered by an incident that led to the smashing of a truck’s windscreen.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, December 21, 2025, by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed, the ministry said the timely intervention of the minister helped to defuse the situation and restore normalcy on the busy highway.
According to the statement, the disruption occurred when truck drivers blocked a section of the road in protest, resulting in long delays and hardship for road users travelling towards Lokoja and other destinations during the festive period.
To address the situation, Umahi 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 experienced by commuters.
The directive, which was promptly implemented on Sunday, December 21, 2025, significantly decongested the affected corridor and improved traffic flow.
The Federal Controller of Works in Kogi State, Engr. Patiko Isah disclosed that the Field Headquarters, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other security agencies, successfully restored the free-flow of traffic at about 2:00 a.m.
Reacting to the development, Umahi appealed to motorists to remain patient, orderly and cautious, especially during the peak holiday travel period.
He reassured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safe, efficient and reliable road transportation across the country.
It would be recalled that motorists plying the Lokoja–Abuja highway were reportedly left stranded following a severe gridlock, a few days to Christmas.
Reports said the traffic congestion on the route persisted for several hours at the weekend with the gridlock most severe around the Koton Karfe axis.
Estimates put the pile-up of trucks and vehicles at between three to 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), were deployed to the area to ease the congestion.
Earlier on, the Kogi State Government had initiated interventions to prevent traffic congestion on the highway ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.
A team from the state government, led by the State Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, had inspected critical sections of the highway and identified areas requiring immediate attention to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the peak travel period.
