Heavy-duty vehicle drivers have blocked all major entry roads into Bida, Niger, in protest against the deplorable condition of the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road.
The drivers, who barricaded the roads, said they were protesting the government’s alleged failure to commence reconstruction of the road.
One of the protesters, Buhari Aliyu, said the government should either commence the reconstruction of the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road or reopen an alternative Bida road to ease the hardship being experienced by motorists.
According to him, the condition of the road has deteriorated to the extent that vehicles frequently break down or overturn while attempting to navigate the damaged portions.
“If the government is not ready to reconstruct the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road, they should open the Bida road for us to follow.
“The road is completely deteriorated. Our vehicles are falling on a daily basis,” Aliyu said.
Also speaking, another driver, Suleiman Kaduna, who said he was travelling from Kaduna to Lagos, explained that the blockade was intended to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the condition of the road.
“We blocked the road because the Federal Government has refused to reconstruct the road. There is no justice and fairness.
“We lose lives and property worth millions of naira on a daily basis because of the deplorable state of the road.
“Until the government begins the reconstruction work, we cannot open the road,” he said.
When contacted, the Niger Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed that the agency had engaged the protesting drivers in an effort to persuade them to reopen the road.
She, however, said the intervention was unsuccessful as the protesters insisted on meeting a representative of the Federal Government before ending the blockade.
“We pleaded with them, but they said until they see the Federal Government representative, they will not reopen the road,” Sa’adu said.
