Hundreds of commuters and residents were left stranded on Tuesday after a key bridge linking Kuje and Gwagwalada collapsed at Chukuku village in the Federal Capital Territory.
The incident, which followed hours of heavy rainfall, disrupted movement along the busy route and severed a major connection between the two area councils.
The road project, awarded by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is expected to be completed later in the year.
It was gathered that the construction firm handling the project had earlier installed a temporary bridge to ease movement pending completion of the main work.
However, motorists were met with the shocking sight of the collapsed structure on Tuesday morning.
The development led to a spike in transport fares, as commercial drivers were forced to divert to the longer Kuje–Giri–Gwagwalada route.
As of Tuesday afternoon, some road users said the construction company had created an alternative access route, commending the swift intervention.
Earlier, the collapse caused a severe traffic gridlock, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Some travellers were seen offloading their goods and trekking across difficult terrain, while others remained trapped in their vehicles awaiting assistance.
Residents attributed the incident to the heavy volume of rainwater, which reportedly overwhelmed the bridge and washed away a section of the road.
Although no casualties were recorded, the disruption significantly affected economic activities in the area.
The Kuje–Gwagwalada corridor serves as a major route for the transportation of farm produce and other goods.
A resident, who identified himself simply as Sani, described the situation as a major setback, noting that farmers and workers were unable to access their destinations and had to resort to longer routes before the temporary relief provided by the construction firm.