Motorists and commuters on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal highway experienced severe delays on Wednesday after a female truck driver transporting cement from Calabar blocked the narrow, deteriorating road with her vehicle.
The incident occurred roughly 10 meters past the second gate of the Umuahia Building Material Market in Isieke, heading towards Umudike.
For several hours, traffic was completely halted, trapping numerous vehicles attempting to enter or leave Umuahia.
Some drivers familiar with the area attempted to navigate alternative local routes to reach their destinations, particularly those traveling to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
The truck driver was not present at the scene, but her husband had been contacted. Shortly after a Vanguard Correspondent arrived at about 11 am, a team of security personnel, including soldiers and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), arrived to restore order.
Security officials pleaded with the driver’s husband to locate his wife so she could move the truck and allow traffic to flow. He was seen making urgent phone calls but reported that her number was not reachable.
Witnesses reported that the driver had been stopped and detained by local touts the previous night. Out of frustration, she reportedly decided to block the road to express her grievances.
Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, confirmed that the Head of the Joint Taskforce had been notified and had dispatched personnel to investigate the situation.
Kanu stated that the touts should be arrested and prosecuted, and the truck removed to alleviate the inconvenience to innocent commuters. He reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to eradicating touts and illegal revenue collectors from Abia roads.
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