Protesters Block Benin-Auchi-Abuja Highway over 11-year Abandonment

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A group known as Concerned Edo Citizens for the second day yesterday blocked the Auchi axis of the Benin–Ekpoma–Auchi-Abuja Highway over the abandonment of the reconstruction work started since 2013.

The group mobilised residents and other road users making the road completely impassable at the popular Jattu Junction. It also mounted canopies, made bonfires and cooked food and meat for the people.

The protesters also got the sympathy of the truck drivers’ union within the axis as they deployed their vehicles to block the junction which is a gateway to vehicles plying the highway .

The blockage witnessed a long stretch of trailers blocking one lane of from Jattu junction to Okpella and Agbede with a lot of inconvenience to other road users.

A similar scenario occurred last year which led to assurance by the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works through two royal fathers from the area, the Otaru of Auchi and the Ogieneni of Uzairue to kick-start the rehabilitation of the road.

Similarly, the senator representing Edo North at the Senate, Adams Oshiomhole recently lamented that the paltry sum of N200 million was voted for the reconstruction of the road in the 2024 budget.