Fatal crashes: Kaduna orders faster completion of Nnamdi Azikiwe bypass

The Kaduna State Government has directed the immediate acceleration and completion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Bypass following a spate of fatal accidents along the corridor.

Governor Uba Sani gave the directive after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened over growing safety concerns on the 21.5-kilometre expressway stretching from Command Junction to Mando Roundabout.

Briefing journalists, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the governor was alarmed by the rising death toll on the road.

“His Excellency is profoundly disturbed by the tragic loss of lives recorded on this highway. No level of progress can justify the continued loss of even a single life. This situation is intolerable,” he said.

The meeting was attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority, contractors, and transport unions, including the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

Maiyaki said that although the project was awarded in 2021, before the current administration, progress had been slow until recent interventions.

“About 19 kilometres have been completed, but His Excellency has rejected the December 2026 deadline. The project must be delivered ahead of schedule,” he said.

To ensure compliance, the government has constituted a multi-agency task force to monitor construction progress and enforce safety measures, particularly during the rainy season.

The commissioner also blamed unsafe road practices for many of the accidents, noting that several high-risk crossing points had been identified.

“Beyond infrastructure, human behaviour remains a critical challenge. Recklessness on our roads must stop,” he added.

He said the government would intensify public enlightenment campaigns to promote safer road use.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Bypass is a major federal highway project designed to ease traffic congestion within the Kaduna metropolis by diverting heavy-duty and transit vehicles away from the city centre.

Since construction began in 2021, the project has faced delays due to funding constraints, weather conditions, and logistical challenges.