Heavy-duty vehicle drivers have blocked all major roads into Bida, Niger, in protest against the deplorable condition of the Bida-Agaie-Lapai route.

The drivers, who barricaded the roads, said they were protesting the government’s alleged failure to commence reconstruction of the road. One of the protesters, Buhari Aliyu, said the government should either begin reconstructing the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road or reopen an alternative Bida road to ease the hardship motorists are experiencing.

According to him, the road has deteriorated to the point that vehicles frequently break down or overturn while attempting to navigate the damaged sections.

“If the government is not ready to reconstruct the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road, they should open the Bida road for us to follow. The road is completely deteriorated. Our vehicles are falling daily,” Mr Aliyu said.

Another driver, Suleiman Kaduna, who said he was travelling from Kaduna to Lagos, explained that the blockade was intended to draw the federal government’s attention to the road’s condition.

“We blocked the road because the federal government has refused to reconstruct the road. There is no justice and fairness. We lose lives and property worth millions of naira daily because of the deplorable state of the road. Until the government begins the reconstruction work, we cannot open the road,” he said.

The Niger sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed that the agency had engaged the protesting drivers in an effort to persuade them to reopen the road. She said the intervention was unsuccessful, as the protesters insisted on meeting a federal government representative before ending the blockade.

“We pleaded with them, but they said until they see the federal government representative, they will not reopen the road,” Ms Sa’adu said.

(NAN)