Major roads in Benin City, Edo State, experienced severe traffic congestion on Thursday as the arrival of Vice President Kashim Shettima for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally disrupted movement across the metropolis.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the situation, reported that several roads connecting the Oba’s Palace and Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where the rally was scheduled to hold, were cordoned off, leaving motorists and commuters stranded.
Among the affected routes were Airport Road, Plymouth Road, Reservation Road, Exotic Road and Ekenwan Road, as well as several streets within the Government Reservation Area (GRA).
The road closures forced motorists to spend hours in traffic, while commuters resorted to trekking considerable distances to reach their destinations.
Commercial transport operators also diverted to alternative routes in an attempt to avoid the congestion, but the diversion further increased traffic on other roads.
READ ALSO: UNIZIK to Graduate 16,842 at 20th/21st Convocation, Announces $617.7m iDICE Programme
To manage the situation, security personnel comprising police officers, military operatives and officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were stationed at major junctions to regulate movement and maintain order.
Meanwhile, the Vice President’s visit attracted a large turnout of APC supporters, who gathered at the airport and the Oba’s Palace to welcome him.
Hundreds of motorcycle riders, dressed in matching polo shirts and T-shirts bearing the images of President Bola Tinubu and Shettima, lined the Airport Road.
Several women groups, young female supporters in customised T-shirts and cultural troupes also gathered at the locations, entertaining the crowd with songs and dances ahead of the Vice President’s arrival.
As of the time of filing this report, the campaign rally had yet to begin at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, although supporters from different parts of Edo State continued to arrive at the venue.
