₦airaland Forum

In a troubling development tracked by The Bureau News, the ever-busy Abuja–Lokoja highway has been completely locked down on both sides after angry tanker drivers blocked the lanes in protest against alleged extortion from police and security personnel manning the road.

The protest began earlier in the day when several tanker drivers decided they could no longer cope with what they described as “constant and excessive financial demands” by officers at the numerous checkpoints along the highway. As of press time, traffic has been trapped for hours, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded under the scorching sun.

A trailer driver who spoke to The Bureau News on condition of anonymity revealed that security operatives collect as much as ₦5,000 at each checkpoint before allowing vehicles to pass — a practice the drivers say has become unbearable and unsustainable.

“Imagine paying five thousand naira at each checkpoint. Sometimes there are more than six checkpoints before Lokoja. We can’t keep doing this,” he said.

Suitably frustrated, the drivers parked their vehicles directly on the road, blocking the passage of traffic coming from both Abuja and Lokoja. Their protest immediately caused a massive tailback stretching for several kilometres.

Passengers caught in the gridlock said they have remained stuck for several hours with no official statement from the government or the security agencies involved. One passenger, simply identified as James, told The Bureau News that travellers are becoming increasingly worried as the gridlock lingers.

“We have been here for hours, and people are already scared of continuing the journey once it gets dark. These roads are not safe at night because of kidnappers and bandits,” he said with visible concern.

As of the time of filing this report, The Bureau News can confirm that some motorists have started turning back either to Lokoja or Abuja in an effort to avoid being trapped through the night.

Several road users and commuters are calling on the Federal Government and security authorities to urgently intervene, restore free flow of traffic, and address the issue of alleged extortion — which has long been a sensitive topic on major Nigerian highways.

Growing Fear as Night Approaches and Gridlock Expands

Observers on the scene have expressed fears that if the situation is not resolved quickly, the gridlock could spill deep into the night, increasing risks of robbery and kidnapping along the corridor.
The Abuja–Lokoja road serves as a major gateway connecting the Federal Capital Territory to the North Central and Southern regions of the country.

RavinWolf:
Wow!!! FTC for the first time ever! This is dedicated to all real hustlers out there! May all you touch turn to GOLD!

This Abuja–Lokoja shutdown is a textbook example of how systemic extortion by security agencies can quickly snowball into a national logistics crisis.

1. Economic choke point – The Abuja–Lokoja road isn’t just a busy highway; it’s a strategic artery linking the FCT to key southern and north-central states. Blocking it means halting fuel, goods, and passenger movement across a large swath of the country. Every hour of this gridlock translates into direct economic loss — fuel wastage, perishable goods spoiling, and delays in supply chains.

2. Security–economy paradox – The same security presence that’s supposed to ensure safety has become the very reason for the protest. When checkpoints turn into toll booths, it erodes public trust and pushes law-abiding operators into confrontation with the state. Worse, if drivers start avoiding certain routes, it could embolden criminal actors like kidnappers who exploit the reduced security coverage.

3. Public safety risk – With night approaching and traffic still immobilized, travellers are exposed to higher risks of roadside robbery or abduction. The Abuja–Lokoja axis is already notorious for such incidents, meaning this standoff isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous.

4. Policy gap – Extortion at checkpoints is an old, well-documented problem, yet enforcement measures to stop it are either weak or nonexistent. Unless there’s a systemic cleanup of highway policing, incidents like this will keep recurring, with lasting economic and reputational costs for the country.

Bottom line: The tanker drivers’ protest is a symptom, not the disease. Unless government tackles the root cause — illegal levies and abuse of authority on highways — we’ll keep seeing this same cycle of blockage, economic loss, and public insecurity.

This Abuja–Lokoja wahala na like when gatekeeper wey suppose guard compound turn to landlord wey dey collect rent from everybody.

Tanker drivers don vex say every checkpoint na ₦5k “pass ticket,” sometimes up to six before Lokoja — na who wan dey dash police ₦30k per trip?

Dem just park tanker block road, turn express to car park.

Now passengers don dey sweat under sun, fear night come because kidnappers no dey do “sleep early.”

If government no stop this checkpoint chop-chop, na so we go dey repeat this same traffic film every year.

boxypane:
The annoying part is that they don't engage those criminals ooo

owobokiri:
I beleive that some people in this government are encouraging this.
Lorry drivers from the North bringing food stuffs from the North to the East are forced to pay almost a million naira at different checkpoints on these roads. Check your Facebook, they are there complaining about this too.

This has been going on for a long time but hs increased dramatically since Pablo came to power. This has made the cost of food items to skyrocket in the east.
You make extra charges at the ports on imported goods. You then wait for the lorries and charge them again.

These police and.military officers that do these are always at the checkpoints on these roads. They don't hide to do it. They do it openly. They remit these monies to someone.
Who is that and what are his intentions?

RavinWolf:
Wow!!! FTC for the first time ever! This is dedicated to all real hustlers out there! May all you touch turn to GOLD!

This Abuja–Lokoja shutdown is a textbook example of how systemic extortion by security agencies can quickly snowball into a national logistics crisis.

1. Economic choke point – The Abuja–Lokoja road isn’t just a busy highway; it’s a strategic artery linking the FCT to key southern and north-central states. Blocking it means halting fuel, goods, and passenger movement across a large swath of the country. Every hour of this gridlock translates into direct economic loss — fuel wastage, perishable goods spoiling, and delays in supply chains.

2. Security–economy paradox – The same security presence that’s supposed to ensure safety has become the very reason for the protest. When checkpoints turn into toll booths, it erodes public trust and pushes law-abiding operators into confrontation with the state. Worse, if drivers start avoiding certain routes, it could embolden criminal actors like kidnappers who exploit the reduced security coverage.

3. Public safety risk – With night approaching and traffic still immobilized, travellers are exposed to higher risks of roadside robbery or abduction. The Abuja–Lokoja axis is already notorious for such incidents, meaning this standoff isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous.

4. Policy gap – Extortion at checkpoints is an old, well-documented problem, yet enforcement measures to stop it are either weak or nonexistent. Unless there’s a systemic cleanup of highway policing, incidents like this will keep recurring, with lasting economic and reputational costs for the country.

Bottom line: The tanker drivers’ protest is a symptom, not the disease. Unless government tackles the root cause — illegal levies and abuse of authority on highways — we’ll keep seeing this same cycle of blockage, economic loss, and public insecurity.

This Abuja–Lokoja wahala na like when gatekeeper wey suppose guard compound turn to landlord wey dey collect rent from everybody.

Tanker drivers don vex say every checkpoint na ₦5k “pass ticket,” sometimes up to six before Lokoja — na who wan dey dash police ₦30k per trip?

Dem just park tanker block road, turn express to car park.

Now passengers don dey sweat under sun, fear night come because kidnappers no dey do “sleep early.”

If government no stop this checkpoint chop-chop, na so we go dey repeat this same traffic film every year.

Editorialtimes:
Source: https://thebureau.com.ng/abuja-lokoja-highway-shutdown-tanker-protest-nigeria-news-today-the-bureau-news/

Emergingnation:
Flashback: How Bola Tinubu spoke highly of Buhari in 2015, named PDP ‘Poverty Development Party

National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu had during the presidential campaign in 2015, referred to President Muhammadu Buhari as the only solution for the security and economic challenges facing Nigeria.

During a mega presidential rally, the former governor of Lagos State recalled how some powerful nations in the world returned to army generals when they were challenged, saying “Major General Buhari would revive Nigeria’s economy”.

He named the current opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP as the “Poverty Development Party saying they had nothing to offer.

His words at the time were; “Every nation has a period of their own challenges, when America was challenged, they turned to one great man, their ex-military general, General Eisenhower. When the French were challenged, they turned to their general, Charles de Gaulle.

“When Britain was challenged, they turned to their general. Today, Nigeria is economically and physically challenged so we turn to General Muhammadu Buhari. He is the right man for the job. If you talk about military experience, he has it abundantly, he has courage, simplicity, he has it abundantly.

“If you talk about great determination, a combination of vision and ability to perform, honesty and integrity, he has it abundantly.

“I laugh when the incapable government, ‘Poverty Development Party’ PDP were talking. They have nothing again to say, they now want to question the qualifications of General Buhari and look for his certificate”.

Following the manifestos in 2015 which projected the APC presidential candidate as a ‘saviour’, Buhari defeated the then incumbent president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with Nigerians expecting a total change in security and economy.

https://dailypost.ng/2021/09/01/flashback-how-bola-tinubu-spoke-highly-of-buhari-in-2015-named-pdp-poverty-development-party/

jmoore:
Urban bandits in uniform.

Tinubu's workforce prefer to talk about Obi 24/7. They don't care about the country.

Talismann:
all this long epistle untop FTC. You think those wey dey suffer for that road right now get time for this grammer.

No worry, seun go soon make comments 100,000 characters minimum, you go type tire that time.

RavinWolf:
Wow!!! FTC for the first time ever! This is dedicated to all real hustlers out there! May all you touch turn to GOLD!

This Abuja–Lokoja shutdown is a textbook example of how systemic extortion by security agencies can quickly snowball into a national logistics crisis.

1. Economic choke point – The Abuja–Lokoja road isn’t just a busy highway; it’s a strategic artery linking the FCT to key southern and north-central states. Blocking it means halting fuel, goods, and passenger movement across a large swath of the country. Every hour of this gridlock translates into direct economic loss — fuel wastage, perishable goods spoiling, and delays in supply chains.

2. Security–economy paradox – The same security presence that’s supposed to ensure safety has become the very reason for the protest. When checkpoints turn into toll booths, it erodes public trust and pushes law-abiding operators into confrontation with the state. Worse, if drivers start avoiding certain routes, it could embolden criminal actors like kidnappers who exploit the reduced security coverage.

3. Public safety risk – With night approaching and traffic still immobilized, travellers are exposed to higher risks of roadside robbery or abduction. The Abuja–Lokoja axis is already notorious for such incidents, meaning this standoff isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous.

4. Policy gap – Extortion at checkpoints is an old, well-documented problem, yet enforcement measures to stop it are either weak or nonexistent. Unless there’s a systemic cleanup of highway policing, incidents like this will keep recurring, with lasting economic and reputational costs for the country.

Bottom line: The tanker drivers’ protest is a symptom, not the disease. Unless government tackles the root cause — illegal levies and abuse of authority on highways — we’ll keep seeing this same cycle of blockage, economic loss, and public insecurity.

This Abuja–Lokoja wahala na like when gatekeeper wey suppose guard compound turn to landlord wey dey collect rent from everybody.

Tanker drivers don vex say every checkpoint na ₦5k “pass ticket,” sometimes up to six before Lokoja — na who wan dey dash police ₦30k per trip?

Dem just park tanker block road, turn express to car park.

Now passengers don dey sweat under sun, fear night come because kidnappers no dey do “sleep early.”

If government no stop this checkpoint chop-chop, na so we go dey repeat this same traffic film every year.

tnerro1:
Na wa for you , you manage get FTC, you come use am write very long story 😂

If na me, I for just say “thanks and peace out ✌️ “😂😂