Lawmakers Call For Rehabilitation Of Bida-Lapai-Dikko Road To Avert Incessant Accidents

Following a series of tanker explosions, fatal accidents, and persistent gridlock along the Bida–Agaie–Lapai–Lambata–Diko Road in Niger State, the House of Representatives has called for urgent federal intervention to rehabilitate the highway.

The House also mandated the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to strengthen enforcement of safety standards for tanker and heavy-duty vehicle operations.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency of Niger State, Saidu Abdullahi, who described the situation as “a recurring national tragedy” that continues to claim lives and cripple economic activity.

Lawmakers expressed grief over the recent explosion in Essa Village, Katcha Local Government Area, which killed more than 30 people, injured over 40 others, and destroyed vehicles, livestock, and goods worth millions of naira.

Abdullahi explained that the highway, a major federal route linking Niger State to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and other regions, has remained in deplorable condition despite multiple contract awards and incomplete rehabilitation efforts.

He lamented that the cancellation of the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, which once covered the project under a public-private partnership model, has left the road in uncertainty and worsened its neglect.

Following deliberations, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, to immediately mobilize contractors for full rehabilitation and expansion of the road.

It also directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, directed to provide relief materials and medical aid to victims of the Essa Village explosion.

Additionally, the House mandated its Committees on Works, FERMA, FRSC, and Finance to assess the road’s condition and review previous contractual arrangements, with a report expected within two weeks for further legislative action.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji