Benin Edo – A scathing petition filed on Friday has ignited public outcry over what residents describe as an unauthorized roadblock by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officers, crippling traffic along the bustling Ekenwan Road near the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Gate.

Eyewitnesses reported gridlock stretching for over an hour starting around 8:00 a.m., with frustrated commuters stranded in their vehicles amid the morning rush.

The petition authored by the Bail Is Free Campaign Organization and sighted by DAILY South Nigeria accuses officers operating from FRSC vehicles numbered 518 and 511 of mounting the blockade on this state-maintained road without official authorization.

"Their actions have resulted in unnecessary traffic delays, causing commuters to remain stranded and exposing citizens to undue hardship," the document states, labeling the operation as a potential "avenue for extortion rather than lawful enforcement."

The incident unfolds against a backdrop of longstanding frustrations with road safety enforcement in Nigeria's South-South region.

Ekenwan Road, a vital artery connecting UNIBEN's Ekenwan Campus to central Benin City, has been a hotspot for traffic snarls, exacerbated by poor infrastructure and frequent protests over road conditions.

While no official response from the FRSC Edo State Sector Command was available by press time, the petition urges immediate intervention from "appropriate authorities" to investigate the officers involved and halt such practices.

"The public deserves safe, free, and unobstructed passage on our roads, and any actions contrary to this should be addressed without delay," it concludes.

The Bail Is Free Organization vows to escalate the matter, calling on Governor Godwin Obaseki and federal transport officials to prioritize citizen rights over unchecked operations.