Odita Sunday 
FG Gives Maje-Dikko Gridlock 48-Hour Deadline As Motorists Endure Days On Road
By Odita Sunday
Motorists stuck for days on the Suleja–Minna corridor may finally get relief, as the Federal Government has given the concessionaire handling the Maje-Dikko section 48 hours to carry out emergency repairs and restore the movement of traffic.
The deadline came after the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, inspected the troubled section on Friday, 18th September 2026, and directed the immediate deployment of equipment, manpower and other resources to tackle the gridlock.
For some road users, the disruption has gone far beyond an ordinary traffic jam. A tanker driver, Mr. Ezekiel Oyosome, said some motorists had spent between nine and ten days on the route, enduring prolonged delays as they waited for movement to resume.
Representing the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, at the site, Goronyo said the emergency intervention was in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and was intended to ease the hardship faced by commuters, truck drivers and other road users.
In a statement issued by Abdullahi Mohammed, SA Media to the Honourable Minister of State for Works, the ministry said the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the concessionaire and representatives of the transport sector had been mobilised to support the emergency operation.
Goronyo said Trunkroad Consortium, the concessionaire handling the corridor, had already moved to the site and was expected to complete the immediate remedial work within 48 hours.
“The emergency work is to be completed within the next 48 hours. The concessionaire has already been mobilised to the site, and we are committed to ensuring that the gridlock is brought under control as quickly as possible,” the minister said.
The affected Maje-Dikko section forms part of the approximately 7.9-kilometre Suleja–Minna corridor being handled under a concession arrangement.
According to Goronyo, the pavement deterioration has been worsened by the heavy movement of articulated vehicles, particularly those linked to the NNPC depot in the area, leading to the failure of portions of the asphalt pavement and worsening the traffic situation.
While the emergency work is expected to provide immediate relief, the minister said the permanent rehabilitation of the corridor would involve continuous reinforced concrete pavement to provide a more durable solution.
He appealed to motorists and commuters to remain patient, assuring them that the government was determined to restore normal traffic and reduce the chances of a repeat of the disruption.
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, said the FRSC had deployed personnel to the area to manage traffic and protect motorists throughout the intervention.
Also speaking at the site, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Transportation, Prince Adetokunbo Ademola, acknowledged the difficulties faced by commuters and apologised for the prolonged disruption.
“We apologise to the commuters for the difficulties they have experienced. The work is already progressing, and we are committed to ensuring that within the next 48 hours, there will be a significant difference in the condition and management of the road,” he said.
The Managing Director of Trunkroad Consortium, Mr. Isaac Abeka, said the company had mobilised to the site and would deploy the necessary resources to complete the emergency work as quickly as possible.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, welcomed the intervention and stressed the importance of sound engineering, road safety and effective traffic management along the corridor.
Oyosome, who spoke on behalf of affected motorists, also welcomed the intervention and expressed hope that the emergency repairs would bring an end to the prolonged ordeal and restore normal movement.
The Federal Ministry of Works said it would continue working with relevant stakeholders to provide immediate relief while pursuing permanent rehabilitation of the corridor to improve safety, connectivity and economic activity.
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