FRSC Diversions, Alternative Routes for Abuja-Kaduna Travellers

ABUJA — The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has issued an urgent travel advisory and activated major traffic diversions along the Abuja–Kaduna Highway, following severe gridlock caused by a surge in Eid-el-Kabir travelers and ongoing rehabilitation works on the corridor.

​In an official public notice issued on Sunday, the Corps warned motorists to brace for significant delays or pivot to designated alternative routes to avoid being stranded. According to the highway authorities, traffic congestion has degenerated into a near-standstill along the critical northern transit corridor, leaving hundreds of travelers delayed for hours.

​Hotspots and the Diversion Plan

​FRSC tactical commands monitored traffic build-up and identified the worst-hit bottleneck as the Nasarawa–Azara axis, which sits between Katari and Jere towns.

​The agency attributed the severe breakdown in vehicular movement to a combination of narrow, under-construction diversions and widespread lane indiscipline, including dangerous overtaking and driving against traffic (one-way).

​To mitigate the gridlock, the FRSC high command advised inter-state motorists traveling between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kaduna State to immediately avoid the primary highway and utilize the following alternative corridor:

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• ​Recommended Alternative Route: Kaduna – Kachia – Maraban Kubacha – Jere – Bwari – Dutse Abuja (and vice versa).

​Deployment of 30,000 Personnel Nationwide

​The highway gridlock coincides with the official flag-off of the FRSC’s 2026 Eid-el-Kabir Special Patrol Operations. To ensure hitch-free transit and a reduction in highway fatalities over the festive period, the Corps has mobilized a massive national deployment.

​”Over 30,000 personnel, including regular and helper marshals, patrol vehicles, power bikes, ambulances, and heavy-duty tow trucks, have been deployed to critical corridors across the nation. The special enforcement operation will run concurrently from May 25 to May 31, 2026.”

— Federal Road Safety Corps Headquarters

​The deployment is designed to guarantee prompt emergency response, enforce strict lane discipline, and clear obstructions. Sector commands along the gridlock-prone Abuja-Kaduna route have been directed to maintain a 24-hour presence at diversion points until the post-Sallah traffic subsides.

​Motorists are strongly urged to obey all on-duty traffic officers, exercise patience at construction zones, and ensure their vehicles are in optimal mechanical condition before embarking on long-distance journeys.