A herd of cattle took over a significant portion of the Calabar-Itu highway, causing traffic jams and concern among commuters and drivers. This was a minor drama.
The animals wandered slowly down the road, defying blasting horns, during the Tuesday nite incident at the Itu axis of the main highway connecting the states of Cross River and Akwa Ibom, leaving cars trapped for hours.
The more than 100 cows were being escorted by herders when they stretched over both lanes, stopping traffic, according to eyewitnesses who talked with The Footynaija.
Etim Bassey, a commercial driver, described the occurrence as extremely regrettable and said the government should step up efforts to manage herders.
“It was an awful experience. We were in one place for about an hour. The herders were following uncontrollably. He said, “Some cows were even lying on the road.”
Mrs. Rosemary Ukpong, a female commuter from Uyo to Calabar, bemoaned the fact that the circumstance had become commonplace.
“This Calabar-Itu road is now a grazing field,” she remarked. You have to meet them once a week. What happens in the event of an emergency? The government ought to take action regarding the highway’s open grazing. It’s too risky.
Aniekan Lazarus, another commercial driver, claimed that in order to avoid colliding with the animals, drivers had to make risky manoeuvres.
The cows stopped moving on a major route, according to a senior immigration official who was also returning to Calabar and requested anonymity. He urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to warn the herders.
In a situation like this, the federal government need to move quickly. While they are occupying important federal roadways, we cannot wait to salute cows. This is really depressing and irritating. He declared, “It is actually a slap on our leaders and everyone in the corridors of power.”
The animals had been removed off the road as of the time this report was filed, but the backlog of cars was still causing traffic to increase.