VIDEO: Nigerians react as residents carve escape route through forest amid Benin Road gridlock

• Travellers trapped in a prolonged Benin Road gridlock created bush pathways to continue their journey.

• A viral video of the incident has sparked outrage and debate across social media.

• Many Nigerians blamed poor road infrastructure and criticised government priorities.

• The incident has also reignited political conversations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Travellers stranded for hours on the ever-busy Benin Road have now started creating makeshift paths through the bush just to escape the massive gridlock, and the video has left many Nigerians angry.

The clip, which has been circulating on social media, shows people abandoning the road and forcing their way through nearby bushes in a desperate attempt to continue their journey after being trapped in traffic for several hours.

The Benin Road is one of Nigeria's major highways, linking the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West. Over the years, motorists have repeatedly complained about its poor condition, with frequent gridlocks becoming a regular experience, especially during festive periods and after heavy rainfall.

As expected, the viral video sparked heated reactions online, with many Nigerians blaming years of poor road maintenance and bad governance, while others argued that both the federal and state governments should be held responsible.

One user wrote: "They should go through it. Some of them there voted for Tinubu, some didn't vote at all... So, it will anger them to go all out and vote, come 2027 presidential election."

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Another person said: "Funny how everyone under the comment section blamed the federal government while they forgot the state government duty is more vital in a state."

Questioning the government's spending priorities, another commenter wrote:

"That Umahi, is he really igbo? Because my igbo gene can't place the rationale behind borrowing trillions to do utopian coastal roads hardly needed and abandon existing roads people ply daily. What exactly is wrong with these folks."

Another Nigerian expressed frustration over how citizens adapt instead of demanding accountability:

"What we Nigerians are always good at, push us to the wall, we will find a way to break it and enter inside instead of pushing back. They are creating that pathway to escape the gridlock so as to continue supporting our oppressors."

One commenter alleged that public funds meant for infrastructure had been diverted, writing:

"Money meant for those projects has been used in building large complexes and hotels by politicians. Keep supporting them. We need revolution or else Nigeria will collapse to the ground."

Others turned the conversation towards the 2027 general election.

One person wrote: "January 2027 during the election many of them will forget the suffering because it is the dry season and they will still vote APC politicians into offices... That Time una go see shege promax."

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Another added: "The funny thing is that when the election comes, you will still see the majority of them queuing in line to support and vote for the same people that are subjecting them to this hardship."

One angry user wrote: "God punish Tinubu and all his supporters! May they never see anything good in life. May their chase for corrupt money lead them to their doom. Amen!! Nigerians, we are at war with APC!!"

Another commenter criticised what they described as misplaced priorities in road projects:

"You get this from misplaced priorities that surely leaves a corrosive taste of bad governance in the mouth of the masses. The money being buried in Lagos for the so-called 'Super-Highway' is enough to fix these existing roads during this regime's first term."

Expressing sympathy for those affected, another user said:

"This one is genuinely painful to watch. People are literally cutting through bushes just to escape a road that should have been fixed years ago. The desperation is real."

Another concluded: "Seeing this like this and believing APC has earned the right to return to office in 2027, doesn't only make you foolish, it also makes you a clown of your own delusion."

The video continues to attract thousands of reactions as many Nigerians express concern over the deteriorating condition of one of the country's busiest highways.