John Adams, Minna
The ever-busy Minna-Bida highway in Niger State has been closed to traffic following the collapse of a bridge at Daku Sabon Gida village about 16kilometers from Bida.
The bridge had collapsed, on Thursday night, following a heavy down pour which lasted several hours.
It came barely a year after a similar bridge along the same Minna-Bida high way was washed away by a heavy rain, leaving commuters travelling along the route stranded for days.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the collapse bridge, on Sunday, observed that while a bush path has been created for smaller vehicles by the villagers with motorists paying stipends for their efforts, while heavy duty trucks, like trailers and tankers, were being diverted to alternative routes.
Worried by the traffic gridlock on the road, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Niger State Command, has advised motorists plying the road to take alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion.
The FRSC, in a statement, in Minna, on Saturday evening, said that the road has been temporarily closed down to heavy duty vehicles to avoid Traffic hold-up and ensure free flow of vehicular Movement.
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According to the statement signed by Route Commander and Public Education Officer/PRO, Federal Road Safety Corps, Niger State Sector Command, Raji Habibu Egigogo, all vehicles coming from Abuja and traveling along the road are to follow Lambata – Lapai – Agaie – Bida enroute Mokwa-Jebba road.
Consequently, all vehicles coming from Bida have been directed to take Agaie -Lapai enroute Minna or Lambata as the case maybe, while vehicles taking off from Minna to the South West are advised to follow Paiko – Lapai -Agaie -Bida enroute Mokwa.
The statement added that this measure was to ensure quick repairs of the bridge by the Niger State Ministry of Works which is presently on-going.
“On this note, the Command is appealing to the general public to be patient and adhere strictly to the alternative roads provided and always abide by the traffic rules and regulations”.