The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has successfully cleared a severe traffic gridlock that had paralysed the Lokoja highway for days, just ahead of the Christmas celebrations. The intervention involved removing two broken-down articulated vehicles that were blocking the crucial Koton-Karfi–Murtala bridge in Banda, Kogi State.
Joint Operation Restores Movement on Critical Corridor
FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, personally led an on-the-spot assessment of the situation on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. He was joined by the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Kankarofi, and the FRSC Sector Commander for the state. Mohammed confirmed that the combined efforts of the FRSC, the Nigeria Police, and other sister agencies had yielded visible results, with traffic now moving, albeit slowly due to the high volume.
"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," the FRSC boss stated.
Proactive Deployment and Broken-Down Trucks
Mohammed identified broken-down trucks as the primary cause of the massive congestion. He explained that the surge in vehicular movement associated with the festive season exacerbated the problem. In response, the Corps scaled up its deployment significantly.
"Once we realised this, we deployed more personnel from Abuja and other locations to reinforce patrols here," Mohammed said. He emphasised that their proactive intervention helped to move the obstructing trucks and reduce the gridlock's impact. "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."
The Corps Marshal also used the visit to motivate officers who had been managing the congestion for several days, some even sleeping on the road. He commended their "exceptional sacrifice" in ensuring traffic flow.
Appeal for Discipline and Sustained Operations
Both the FRSC and police leadership issued a strong appeal to motorists. They warned that indiscipline, particularly driving against traffic and a failure to maintain lanes, had severely 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," Commissioner of Police Naziru Kankarofi explained.
Mohammed assured the public that the Corps would sustain the intensified operations until traffic flow fully normalises. He urged continued patience and cooperation from all road users, stressing that the corridor would remain free only if drivers avoid reckless behaviour.
Kankarofi attributed the successful restoration of movement to sustained inter-agency collaboration after three days of severe gridlock. He confirmed that adequate security measures were in place to protect officers on the ground and praised the FRSC Corps Marshal for the morale-boosting visit from Abuja.
The coordinated effort has provided much-needed relief for thousands of travellers using the vital Lokoja corridor during the busy Yuletide period.
