Kogi flood, cause fuel scarcity in Abuja

• The flood in Koton Karfi towards Murtala bridge in kogi state started last week with increased level of water overflow across the major road thereby inhibiting free flow of traffic.

A visit to Kogi state by our correspondent showed many fuel tankers bridging fuel from depots in the South to the North and Abuja stranded on the Murtala bridge with lines spanning several kilometers into Lokoja town

Some of the tanker drivers and other travelers said they have spent days on heavy traffic on the road with no hope of leaving the gridlock in time

Most trailers including the fuel tankers parked their trucks and vehicles as the drivers avoid taking the risk to cross the water that overflew the bridge and over ran the roads both inter state and rural roads spanning over a distance of about two kilometers.

Some of the petrol stations in Abuja attributed the emerging scarcity to non delivery of fuel from the southern fuel depots where the tankers lifted the products for Northern parts of the country.

A supervisor with one of the leading indigenous petrol stations in Abuja, said the station Manager had instructed their tanker drivers not to take the risk of crossing the water advising them to be safety conscious and park their trucks until the water ceded .

CSONews24 reports that indiscipline on the part of motorists plying the road is largely responsible for the grid lock which was responsible for motorist spending hours or even overnight before they could cross the flooded areas.

Though, the men of Federal Road Safety Corp( FRSC) are there with civil Defence and community Vigilante group to control the traffic and bring orderliness to the area but the unruly behaviour of the motorists compound the chaotic situation where travelers spent several hours with out food vendors to their rescue.

It was reported that government agencies are now advising motorists from South West going to the North through Lokoja to use Ilorin – Jebba road while those coming from South South or South East are advised to use Benue road into Northern parts of the country.

Kogi state Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has appealed to the Federal government to come the aids of the state as a result of devastation in the caused by the ravaging flood.