Abuja, Nigeria’s vibrant capital, is facing mounting traffic turmoil driven by aggressive roadside touts, frequent accidents and strained infrastructure, leaving commuters stuck and frustrated.
On Monday, a trailer flipped at Charly Boy Junction, triggering a massive gridlock that paralysed roads from Dutse Expressway to Galadimawa. The crash stranded workers and school children for hours, highlighting the city’s struggle with heavy vehicle accidents during peak hours. Emergency teams were still clearing the wreckage by press time, with no fatalities reported but delays expected to persist.
To address such incidents, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) is partnering with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). FEMD’s Acting Director General, Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed pointed to overloading and absent weighbridges as key causes of tanker crashes, calling for tighter engineering standards. COREN’s Registrar, Prof. Okorie Uche, is committed to providing technical support to enhance safety.
The menace of touts, known as agberos, adds to the chaos. A tragic accident at Mabushi Bridge claimed a family of four when touts allegedly jumped onto their car, causing it to crash into a pillar. Local driver Emmanuel Ezekiel fumed, “These guys stop any car and get nasty if you don’t pay up.” The FCT Administration clarified that the culprits were not part of its official task force.
FEMD is also collaborating with Ex-Junior Airmen to strengthen disaster response, tapping their skills to lessen impacts. As Abuja’s population surges, these efforts aim to restore order, but for now, the city’s roads remain a daily struggle for residents.
