The hell called Benin-Bypass
As the festive season approaches, thousands of Nigerians are preparing to travel home from Lagos, the business capital of Nigeria to the Eastern and Southern regions to celebrate with their loved ones. For many, however, the prospect of hitting the road is filled with trepidation rather than excitement.
The Lagos-Benin-Onitsha expressway, a major artery for those travelling east, has become a corridor of chaos, plagued by potholes, broken-down vehicles, and an overwhelming number of police checkpoints – some within shouting distance of the other. The Benin-Agbor-Asaba leg of the trip is perhaps the most debilitating and patience-testing. The road (a misnomer) has been eroded by flood and turned into an earth road devastated by gigantic gullies, some deep enough to completely swallow a minivan.
The Benin bypass, as its name implies, helps travellers bypass the gridlock in the ancient city, before leading into four major exits: Akure/Ifon; Auchi/Ekpoma/Abuja; Agbor/Asaba/Onitsha; Eku/Abraka/Abavo and Sapele/Warri/Port Harcourt has been taken over by gullies, which provides countless opportunities for armed robbers, kidnappers and various persons of criminal inclination to feast on innocent road users. As a result, people are now avoiding it in favour of the snarling traffic in the city, as they consider their safety above time.
Even those who choose the longer route through the heart of ancient Benin City are not spared the pain of bad roads. The scant consolation is that it is better than being trapped in the middle of the bypass at the mercy of hoodlums. The Pan Ocean section of Benin-Sapele through to Ogheghe community has been abandoned by governments – Federal and Edo State, for over two years. Instead of fixing the bad portion of the road as his colleagues in other states would do, the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki erected a billboard reminding travellers that it belongs to the FG.
The Roads: A Traveller’s Nightmare
Travelling from Lagos to the East has always been challenging, but over the last few years, the situation has worsened significantly. every frequent traveller along the route has had their share of harrowing stories to tell about long delays, near-death experiences and robberies due to large potholes, failed portions of the road, and heavy traffic.
A writer who recently journeyed from Lagos to Warri twice in one month experienced firsthand the struggles of navigating the notorious Ibada Elume, Benin bypass, and Ologbo areas—sections of the highway that have become death traps for travellers. They are confronted with countless broken down or upturned trucks and other vehicles, further clogging the already narrow pathways. The Onitsha-Asaba Expressway is particularly notorious for its deteriorated state, adding several hours to what should be a relatively straightforward trip.
The Extortion Points: Checkpoints or Toll Gates?
Adding to the agony of bad roads are the numerous police and military checkpoints littering the Lagos to East axis. According to reports, there are about 60 checkpoints from Lagos to Onitsha alone, stretching from Ore to Benin and then onward to Onitsha.
The purpose of these checkpoints is meant to enhance security, but they have increasingly become notorious for extortion. Drivers and passengers report being forced to pay bribes ranging from ₦100 to ₦500 at each stop, with commercial vehicles bearing the brunt of this harassment. In some cases, security personnel even carry Point of Sale (POS) devices to extract money from travellers without cash.
These checkpoints greatly add to travel times, turning journeys that should last a few hours into exhausting days of nightmares. Aside from the delays, the level of extortion is disturbing, with truck drivers reportedly paying as much as ₦2,000 to pass without incident.
The checkpoints were originally intended to combat rising insecurity in the Southeast, including incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery. However, the sheer volume of these stops has turned what could be an essential security measure into a nightmare for commuters. Complaints have been widespread, with citizens calling for the reduction of checkpoints, citing their disruptive impact on economic activities in the region.
Consequently, as the festive season approaches, the Lagos to East road network will increasingly become a combination of poorly maintained highways and extortionate roadblocks. Travelers hoping to reunite with family should prepare for delays, frustrations, and unexpected costs. Despite ongoing calls for road repairs and reforms in security practices, little has changed on the ground. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should direct the relevant authorities to address these issues to make travel during this festive season safer and less stressful for the thousands who will hit the roads.
Nigerians are already suffering as it is from economic hardship, inflation and other societal malaises, they do not need to be packing for barely 600km journeys as if they are planning trips to the North Pole complete with beds and pillowcases, because of the deplorable condition of the road.
