Commuters traveling through various highways in Anambra state are facing significant challenges due to heavy traffic gridlocks.
News About Nigeria reports that the main cause of these gridlocks is the presence of police roadblocks on the highways, particularly along the Onitsha/Owerri dual carriageway.
The areas most affected by these gridlocks include Obosi by-pass, which is located under the newly completed second Niger Bridge fly-over.
Other areas impacted are the Ozubulu Police Area Command Headquarters, the Ekwusigo Local Government Area Headquarters, also in Ozubulu, and Okija junction, all along the Onitsha-Owerri dual carriageway.
The traffic congestion has resulted in prolonged travel times and frustration for commuters.
The police roadblocks, intended to enhance security, have inadvertently caused significant disruptions to the flow of traffic.
The gridlocks have become a daily occurrence, leaving commuters to navigate through congested roads and endure lengthy delays.
The situation has sparked concerns among commuters, who are urging the authorities to find alternative solutions to address security concerns without compromising the free flow of traffic.
The Anambra state government and the Nigerian Police Force have been called upon to review their strategy and implement measures that balance security needs with the need to facilitate smooth traffic movement.
Speaking to newsmen over the ugly development, a concerned citizen and Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of Importers Association of Nigeria, IAN, Chief Gilbert Bravo Obi, called on police authorities in Anambra state command to urgently monitor the activities of their subordinates at these roadblocks.
Obi lamented that the negative consequences of the commando-style of these policemen at the roadblocks are gradually becoming too inexplicable that law-abiding commuters are no longer comfortable with the presence of these policemen on the highways.
Obi slammed how these policemen block both sides of the express roads with condemned motor tyres and drums and then leave only a small space where they would flag down every incoming vehicle.
He said by so doing, while the policemen would be demanding one thing or the other from each of the drivers passing through the roadblock, the gridlock would build up two miles or even more.
He, therefore, suggested that if the policemen suspect any vehicle, they should order the driver to clear the road for search while others continue with their journey instead of wasting commuters’ time.
“People are not against police checkpoints or roadblocks on our highways because of the security challenges of our time but against the lackadaisical attitude of the policemen which usually causes the heavy gridlocks and puts law-abiding commuters into unnecessary hardships”, said Bravo.
Reacting to the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga told newsmen on the phone that he would reach out to the command monitoring unit to intensify efforts toward arresting the situation.
