There was gridlock along the Nyanya–Keffi Expressway in Abuja after the Kugbo Bus Terminal inaugurated by Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in June, got damaged.
The roof of the terminal, which has not been put in use, was pulled down by the wind.
A heavy downpour accompanied by violent winds has left the multi-million naira Kugbo bus terminal in ruins, marking a major embarrassment for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The terminal, which was a flagship project of the Wike administration, saw its structural integrity fail as the evening rain tore through the facility, sending debris flying across the busy Kugbo-Mararaba expressway.
The disaster occurred during a peak hour, causing immediate chaos for commuters heading toward the Nyanya and Masaka axis. Witnesses at the scene reported that the wind peeled off large sections of the terminal’s roofing and steel reinforcements, which crashed onto the highway. Several vehicles caught in the storm were reportedly smashed by the falling materials, leading to significant property damage and a total standstill in traffic.
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Information regarding the project suggests that the terminal complex gulped over 350 million naira in public funds, raising immediate questions about the quality of materials and the engineering standards employed by the contractors. Critics are already pointing to the incident as evidence of “shoddy workmanship” on a project that was meant to showcase the Minister’s infrastructural drive in the nation’s capital.
For Nyesom Wike, who has frequently boasted about his “Mr. Project” reputation and his strictness with contractors, the collapse of the Kugbo terminal under the first major rains of the season is a significant blow to his public image. The sight of the mangled steel and destroyed roofing has become a focal point for residents who argue that such an expensive facility should have been built to withstand local weather conditions.
As of Tuesday night, emergency teams and security personnel were seen at the location attempting to clear the wreckage from the road to restore the flow of traffic. The FCT Ministry has yet to release an official statement regarding the financial loss or the steps to be taken against the construction firm involved, but the wreckage remains a visible testament to a project gone wrong.
247ureports.com
