Residents and motorists have blocked sections of the Benin-Agbor Bypass, demanding immediate government action on what they describe as a failed and life-threatening road.

In a video circulating online, shared by content creator TheBeninBlogger, scores of protesters are seen standing on the muddy, waterlogged stretch of the highway as articulated trucks and smaller vehicles inch through deep craters and pools of stagnant water. Traffic is visibly gridlocked, with some vehicles stuck for hours.

One protester, speaking in pidgin English, directly appealed to the federal authorities, saying, “APC, we no dey collect money. Make una do our road for us. Tinubu, we no need money, make una do our road for us.” The crowd responded with chants of “All we are saying, give us good road,” echoing across the congested bypass.

Another resident captured in the video described the ordeal of daily commuters. “We dey live Agbor Road Bypass. No going, no coming. Everywhere close. We don spend like four hours here,” he lamented, gesturing toward a long line of stranded vehicles.

The Benin-Agbor Bypass is a key route linking Edo State to Delta and other parts of the South-South and South-East. Motorists say the road has deteriorated into a chain of gullies and ponds, worsening during the rainy season and exposing users to accidents, robberies and economic losses as goods perish in transit.

The protest underscores mounting anger over the state of major roads in Edo, where residents have repeatedly called for both state and federal intervention. While authorities recently announced rehabilitation plans for Okhun Road in Benin City, protesters argue that the Benin-Agbor Bypass, a major inter-state artery, has been neglected for too long.

State officials have spoken of ongoing palliative works on some failed portions of roads and promised more comprehensive reconstruction after the rains. Engineers working on other projects in the state have cited long-standing drainage and water-percolation problems and the need for improved technology and materials to ensure durability.

For commuters on the Benin-Agbor Bypass, however, the assurances are no longer enough. Their message, delivered in song and slogans on the flooded carriageway, is clear: they want lasting repairs, not temporary fixes, and they want them urgently.