PRESS STATEMENT
THE NIGER BRIDGE GRIDLOCK AND OTHER TRAFFIC GRIDLOCKS IN THE
SOUTHEAST OF NIGERIA
The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (ONICCIMA)
would once again like to draw the attention of the Federal authorities, Security
agencies, as well as the Governors of Anambra and Delta States in particular to the
menace of the Niger Bridge gridlock which to a very large extent emanates from the
activities of some law-enforcement agents on both ends of the bridge.
Recall that exactly two years ago, December 16, 2020, the immediate Past President of
ONICCIMA, Pharm Sir Chris Ukachukwu, held a press conference where he among
other things, addressed this issue. The problem seemed to have abated for a while but
has come back in recent times with full force.
Some law enforcement agents under the guise of “security concerns” set up roadblocks
especially at the Asaba end of the bridge and so many locations in the South East of
Nigeria and these results in unnecessary traffic gridlocks with the consequent economic
hardship and losses to the people. As at the last count, there exist at least three
different squads of ill-mannered law enforcement agents that motorist encounter while
approaching the Niger Bridge from Asaba and while exiting the bridge at the same
Asaba axis. These are nothing more than mere extortion teams that forcefully collect
“toll fees” mostly from commercial vehicles as well as Trucks and Trailers and delay
traffic flow across the bridge as a result of this. At the Onitsha end of the bridge, the
story is very much the same with a little twist. The law enforcement agents make use of
civilian “toll collectors” while they “assist” by slowing down vehicles so that these civilian
accomplices can go to work. It is indeed an intricate web that needs careful
collaboration by the Governors mentioned to dismantle and free up traffic flow across
that bridge. In addition, motorists at the Onitsha end have to contend with the menace
of multiple groups of “revenue collection” agents. A journey across the bridge from
either end which in normal circumstances would not exceed 10 minutes now has
commuters stranded for hours.
In the overriding interest of the socio-economic well-being of the citizens of both
Anambra and Delta States and by extension the entire Nigerian society, the Onitsha
Chamber of Commerce hereby demands as follows:
The dismantling of all roadblocks (Day or Night) set up on both ends of the
bridge.
Except for the FRSC and state/local/voluntary traffic controllers, all Security
agents that obstruct the smooth flow of vehicular traffic should be removed from
both ends/approaches to the bridge.
The governments of both states should immediately set up a monitoring
a committee tasked with ensuring that these recurring problems are permanently
solved not just for the yuletide but subsequently.
The activities of the security personnel should be limited to surveillance and
monitoring to ensure free flow of traffic instead of creating bottlenecks all over
the South East, and particularly at both ends of that Niger Bridge especially at
this Christmas and New Year period of festivities with heavy traffic.
Signed:
Chief Sir Kevin U. Obieri FCA, FCTI,
President ONICCIMA
