Travelers heading south along the Lokoja–Abuja Expressway were caught in a massive traffic standstill, with vehicles barely moving over a stretch of less than five kilometres. Commuters reported being trapped for over four hours, leaving children and other passengers stranded in the scorching sun, unable to continue their journeys.

Eyewitnesses said that although security personnel, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and soldiers, were present, their focus appeared to be clearing convoys for senior officials, rather than assisting the stranded motorists.

“This is exhausting and dehumanising,” one passenger lamented. “The authorities are prioritising their superiors while ordinary road users suffer.”

The gridlock coincides with ongoing road construction, which commuters blamed on contractors abandoning the site for the Christmas season without providing traffic control, diversion routes, or emergency assistance. Similar disruptions were reported in December 2025, exposing persistent infrastructural neglect and poor traffic management along the busy highway.

Motorists warned that prolonged congestion raises the risk of accidents, fatigue, and security threats, highlighting the urgent need for improved road planning and enforcement.