Motorists and travelers were stranded for over four hours on the federal expressway between Sapele and Warri in Delta State, a journey that typically takes about 30 minutes under normal conditions. Frustrated commuters urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to repair the deteriorating highway.
During a stopover, NDV found that the contractor handling the road had diverted traffic to the Ibada-Elume and Aziza Junction on the Warri-Sapele Road without addressing the severe craters, exacerbating the situation. A significant gully at the Ibada-Elume end created further difficulties, with vehicles, including haulage trucks, struggling to navigate through it.
Motorists were forced to drive on one side of the road from Amukpe to the Aziza Junction, facing similar challenges in the opposite direction. At the Aziza junction, drivers had to shift to the only portion of the road open to traffic.
Felix Okotie, a Sapele resident who regularly uses the road, expressed his frustration, stating, “It is nightmarish. I spent over four hours from Amukpe-Sapele to Warri because of the bad road. Our government should take urgent steps to remedy the painful situation.” He noted ongoing construction on part of the road but criticized the contractor for not addressing the other side for motorists.
Another motorist, Mr. Ovo, heading to Ughelli, echoed the need for immediate repairs, saying, “Vehicles are struggling with only a section of the road. When they get to this pit, they scramble to dodge it, causing gridlock on both sides. My appeal is to the Federal Government to come urgently to do repair work on this road. Sapele to Warri should be a 30-minute journey, but we are forced by the state of the road to spend hours here.”
Passengers also voiced their concerns about the road conditions. Oluyemi, traveling from Warri to Sapele, lamented the numerous bad spots, noting that heavy rains made the situation worse as vehicles attempted to avoid potholes, slowing traffic significantly.
Stranded traveler Mordi urged the government to assess the situation firsthand, stating, “People are suffering. The government should come and see what Nigerians go through on this road and take urgent steps. Most of them are always on air; they are not familiar with the bad state of our roads.”