Adamawa Explains Why Heavy Trucks Are Barred From Yola Flyovers

The Adamawa State Government has explained that its decision to restrict heavy-duty trucks from using flyovers in the state capital, Yola, is a safety measure and not an indication that the bridges are structurally weak.

The State Commissioner for Works, Mohammed Suleiman, gave the explanation while responding to journalists who questioned the restrictions during a working visit to his office.

Suleiman said the barriers installed at the entrances to the flyovers were intended to prevent accidents involving articulated trucks and other heavy vehicles.

According to him, the restriction aligns with global road safety practices, while previous accidents involving heavy trucks on flyovers in the state have further justified the measure.

The Jimeta axis of the Yola metropolis has five flyover bridges, with height barriers installed at their entry points to prevent trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles from accessing them.

The barriers have generated public concerns, with some residents suggesting that the restrictions were imposed because the bridges could not withstand the weight of heavy vehicles.

However, Suleiman dismissed the suggestion, explaining that fully loaded trucks had previously broken down while climbing flyovers, creating dangerous situations for other road users.

He said such incidents had sometimes left vehicles stranded midway on the bridges, exposing unsuspecting motorists to collisions that could result in serious injuries or deaths.

The commissioner disclosed that he had witnessed two fully loaded trucks being towed off flyovers by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps. One incident occurred at the Total flyover, while the other happened at the Mubi Roundabout flyover.

He also recalled an incident involving a 12-tyre truck that reportedly reversed while climbing the Total flyover from the airport side through PZ Roundabout before somersaulting onto the road below.

Suleiman said the road beneath the flyover was empty at the time, adding that a more serious disaster could have occurred if other vehicles or pedestrians had been present.

He maintained that trailers should not operate on urban streets and disclosed that the state government was pushing for the establishment of a trailer park outside the city to prevent heavy vehicles from passing through Yola.