A traffic gridlock ensued on the Jos-Abuja expressway on Saturday when a truck transporting bottled water had an accident at Hawan-Kibo. The incident left numerous motorists and commuters stranded.
Mr Peter Longsan, the Public Education Officer of the Plateau Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), confirmed the incident to reporters in Jos. He explained that the accident happened around 4:00 pm when the tanker fell while crossing the expressway, subsequently blocking both lanes.
Longsan stated, "A water tanker fell on the highway around Hawan-Kibo, Jos-Abuja road. It fell and crossed the road leaving a lot of motorists stranded. But our men are already on ground, making frantic efforts to clear the road and ease traffic flow. We appeal to motorists to be patient and not panic, our men will soon clear the road."
An eyewitness at the scene of the accident, Mr Mohammed Suleiman, who was travelling to Abuja from Jos, shared his experience with reporters. He revealed that commuters had been stranded there for many hours with no movement on either side of the road.
Suleiman said, "No vehicle is moving from both sides, those going to Abuja from Jos, and even those coming from the North East cannot go further. Ditto for those coming from Abuja either to Jos or the far North."