By Cynthia Johnson
Angry youths in Benue state took to the Gboko-Aliade highway on Wednesday to protest the deplorable state of the road and the collapse of the Nomnor bridge near the Gboko Rice Mill.
Hundreds of youths barricaded the road, bringing all vehicular movement to a standstill on the busy federal road. As a result, motorists had to find alternative routes to connect to Aliade in the neighboring Gwer Local Government Area (LGA), leaving both drivers and passengers stranded around the Nomnor River Rice Mill in Gboko LGA.
During the protest, the youths sang solidarity songs and called for urgent action from the federal government to repair the road. They expressed frustration, noting that they had previously protested against the road’s condition, but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel for Exclusive Stories, News Reports, and Engaging Content. {Click Here}
One protester, identifying himself as Koko Lumver, lamented the unbearable situation for residents living along the major link road.
ALSO READ:Â I’m Sound, Spirit, Soul, Body’, Buchi Hits Back Following Death Rumours
He explained, “Either heavy-duty trucks are falling or sometimes, in an attempt to avoid very bad portions of the road, vehicle owners drive through our farms, destroying our produce. Finally, today after heavy rain last night, the bridge connecting Rice Mill and Fidei Polytechnic settlements was washed away by the flood, exacerbating our situation.”
He further emphasized the peaceful nature of their demands but expressed anger that their pleas had been ignored until the situation reached this critical point. “We have advised all motorists to seek alternative routes for now because the bridge is in bad shape, and the road itself is in a state of disrepair,” he added.
Despite attempts to contact the Federal Controller of Works responsible for Benue state, there has been no response so far, as reported by Quest Times.
