Lugbe residents cry out to Tinubu as failing roads trigger losses, gridlock

Frustration is boiling over in Lugbe, Abuja, as residents and business owners raise alarm over collapsing roads that they say are crippling livelihoods and endangering lives.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, concerned residents described Lugbe as a thriving residential and commercial hub that has been reduced to a daily obstacle course of potholes, failed pavements and broken drainage systems.

Michael Nwaohiri, Convener of the Fix Lugbe Roads Campaign, said what should be a 10–15 minute drive now stretches into hours.

“Vehicles break down almost daily. Transport fares have doubled in some cases. Businesses are losing customers because people simply avoid these roads,” he lamented.

For Mrs. Ngozi Eze, a businesswoman, the impact has been devastating.

“Suppliers now charge me more because of the bad roads. Some refuse to come at all during heavy rain. My sales have dropped sharply,” she lamented.

A commercial, driver Sani Mohammed, painted a worrisome picture of mounting losses. “I spend more on vehicle repairs than I take home. Shock absorbers, tyres, alignment, everything gets damaged. We are suffering,” he said, adding that passengers frequently quarrel over increased fares necessitated by longer travel times and vehicle wear.

Parents are not spared. Mr. Wale Okeshina, a civil servant, said school runs have become nightmares.

“My children leave home before dawn to beat traffic caused by failed sections of the road. When it rains, everywhere floods because the drainage is broken,” he said.

The worst-hit routes, residents say, include King of Kings Crescent (IK Stores to El Sultan Mall), Total Filling Station to AMAC Market FHA Phase II, the ConOil axis linking Airport Road to FHA New Site, Mr Biggs Road, Sector F Road through the Car Wash axis and 1st Avenue Road from Timber Shed to Police Sign Board.

Emergency concerns also loom large.

Aisha Bello, a nurse, warned that delayed response times could prove fatal.

“Ambulances struggle to navigate these craters. In medical emergencies, minutes matter,” she stressed.

In their appeal, the residents urged the President and relevant FCT authorities to conduct urgent technical assessments, include Lugbe’s priority roads in immediate intervention plans, reconstruct them with durable concrete solutions and provide a clear timeline for completion.

“We are not asking for temporary patchwork. Lugbe deserves infrastructure that reflects the status of the nation’s capital. We believe that under this administration, the voices of ordinary citizens can still be heard”, Nwaohiri said.