•Residents, motorists bemoan horror on federal roads
On Saturday September 30 2023, Saturday Sun published a four-page report on the state of federal roads in the Southern part of the country.
In this part two of the series, our reporters from across the Northern states write on the deplorable state of roads across the North West, North Central and North East.
North West: The bad, the ugly, the good
The state of federal roads in the North West is a mixture of the bad, the ugly and the good, even as many others are still under reconstruction many years after the reconstruction contracts were awarded.
As detailed by NOAH EBIJE, KADUNA, OLANREWAJU LAWAL, BIRNIN KEBBI, AGAJU MADUGBA, KATSINA, AND TUNDE OMOLEHIN, SOKOTO, Saturday Sun gathered that the Federal government awarded the reconstruction work on the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road to Julius Berger in December, 2017, and it was expected to be completed before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in 2023.
However, on May 23, 2023, former President Buhari commissioned a completed section of Zaria-Kano Road.
When the Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi, visited Kaduna in August, he informed that the Abuja-Kaduna highway was only 20 per cent completed, and urged the construction company to expedite the completion by 2024.
According to him, the Kaduna-Zaria section was fully completed, and the Kaduna-Kano section was 70 per cent done.
The minister confirmed that funding for the project was not the reason for the delay in the road completion, saying insecurity also played a role. However, the Coordinator, Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, lamented that “the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, which took the Babangida administration two and half years to construct from ground zero, in Buhari’s eight years, he couldn’t finish rehabilitating it.”
Many other motorists plying these major roads, who did not want their names in print, expressed disappointment that the completion of the roads was foot-dragging beyond expectations.
They revealed that bad roads, coupled with high price of fuel, have caused them socio-economic shortages, adding that a journey of two hours was now taking three to four hours due to bad roads.
In Kebbi State, the Dabai-Mahuta-Koko federal road of 91 kilometres constructed between 2006-2012 at the cost of N5,070, 912,911.47 awarded by former governor of the state, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, and completed by former Governor, Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, in 2011 still remains a death trap.
From Koko town to Zuru through this road, which ought to be done within two hours, could last up to four to five hours, depending on the state of the roads. The second federal road in the state is Malado-Gari-Baka-Ngaski-Warra Road of 42 kilometres, which has damaged beyond usage and which has compelled many motorists heading to Warra and Ngaski towns to be using Kotagora-Ibeto via Auna road in Niger State before they could reach their destinations.
Travellers going through these roads are also paying high fares due to the bad roads and removal of oil subsidy. A motorist plying the route, Mallam Nasir Zuru, lamented the ordeal they are facing on daily basis, ranging from breakdown of their vehicles along the roads, regular punching and deflating of their tyres and insecurity.
Mallam Zuru and other travellers appealed to the Federal Government to come to the rescue of Zuru Emirate by constructing the roads without further delay.
In Katsina State, some federal roads are in good condition, but they are occupied by terrorists, making it difficult for travellers to enjoy smooth journeys. However, a number of federal roads in Katsina State may be considered motorable with just some portions having potholes. But the majority of them are actually death traps due to activities of terrorists who usually use portions of the bad spots to attack motorists.
The entire stretch of Funtua–Sheme highway has been in bad shape for a long period. The development may not be unconnected with the reported incidents of kidnappings that occur there on a regular basis. On the other hand, however, the Dutsinma–Kankara Highway is in good condition. But the road is ‘bad news’ for motorists, as bandits carry out a harvest of unsuspecting motorists and passengers and herd them into the nearby bush paths leading to the notorious Rugu forest, said to be home for various terrorists’ groups operating in Katsina and Zamfara states. Until about three years ago, the Jibiya (in Katsina State) – Kaura Namoda (in Zamfara State) highway was considered one of the safest roads and shortest gateway to and from the two states. The road is virtually faultless in terms of potholes or bad portions.
But in 2020, the Katsina State government officially pronounced it a no-go area and barred motorists from plying that route, because it became a hotbed for bandits’ operations. Till date, terrorists are still in control of the road.
In Sokoto State, there are three federal roads linking the state: Zaira-Gusau-Sokoto, Kontagora-Yauri-Sokoto and Sokoto-Illela-Niger Republic borderline. At the moment, most of these roads are replete with potholes. However, officials from Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) are on routine maintenance of the highways. In 2022, the federal government approved the dualization of Sokoto Gusau highway, which is still ongoing at the time of filing this report.
North-East: Federal highways of horror
Besides the Boko Haram insurgency conflict that has displaced over two million people in the North East and led to the death of thousands, the deplorable condition of roads in the region is a major nightmarish experience for residents, travellers and motorists alike that is costing the nation a great deal.
This is according to Saturday Sun correspondents in the zone, including PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI; ABDULRAZAQ MUNGADI, GOMBE; BILLY GRAHAM ABEL YOLA; and SYLVANUS VIASHIMA, JALINGO,
Recently, Yobe State House of Assembly cried out to the federal government to rehabilitate dilapidated federal roads in the state. A frustrated majority leader of the House, Hon. Nasiru Hassan Yusuf, made the appeal when he presented a motion on the floor of the House. Yusuf, who urged the federal government to do the needful for effective and efficient transportation within the state, lamented that most of the bridges and culverts at the federal roads that linked Potiskum to Jakusko, Babangida to Bayamari, Buni Yadi to Gulani and Gujba to Ngalda were destroyed in last year’s floods, a development that had affected the state’s commercial activities, according to him. Also, the deplorable situation of the Damaturu-Biu Road from Maza to Biu towns in Borno South is not the expectation of travellers who are forced to experience the bumpy rides and dust on the bad road. There are similar lamentations in Bauchi State, where a bridge on a federal road that links Bauchi and Gombe states collapsed for the umpteenth time.
Although the current administration and successive ones have invested heavily on road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance, the situation of federal roads in the state is frustrating. Following the recent collapse of the bridge again, Governor Bala Mohammed made a passionate appeal to the federal government to fix the road once and for all. The collapse of the bridge on the road, which has been neglected by the federal government, has given sleepless nights and hardship to passengers and motorists.
The Bauchi-Kano federal road is another nightmare for motorists and travellers. The continued breakdown of the major bridge along that road that links the eastern and western parts of northern Nigeria has caused motorists endless hardship. Besides, other federal roads are in deplorable condition in the state include the 54 kilometre-road linking Kirfi, Gombe and Abba Road, the Gombe-Azare Dukku Road and the Bauchi-Ningi-Kano Road, which has been in bad shape from Balbado for many years, Bauchi-Alkelri Road, where the bridge had collapsed.
“The situation is pathetic,” said Nasiru Ali Zarranda, Vice Chairman National Union of Road Transport Worker (NURTW) in Bauchi State in charge of Bauchi-Abuja-Kaduna Road. “Truly, the federal roads in the North East have terrible issues. We have suffered a lot, particularly during the rainy seasons, and there many times we had to stop and divert to pass.
“Anytime the bridges collapse, we have to make contributions and find a way to make the roads passable.”
Most of the federal roads across or traversing Taraba State in North-East Nigeria are in a dilapidated state. In fact, the federal roads are both death traps and safe havens for criminals who take advantage to unleash terror on those who ply them.
The Wukari/Jalingo/Numan Federal Highway is a typical example of the sorry state of roads in the state. Marred with knee-deep potholes that are dangerously dot most portions, the road is a constant nightmare to travellers. In the same vein, the Bali/Serti/Gyenbu Road that leads to the Mambilla Plateau, home of the famous Mambilla Hydropower Dam project, and a great tourist destination, is in a pathetic state, as reconstruction has been ongoing intermittently for ages, with no visible progress. Portions of the road have failed time and again, to the frustration of commuters. Other roads, such as the Bali/Marataba/Takum Road, Mararaba/Baissa/Abong road, Pantisawa road, Wukari/In Road, Lau/Karim Lamido Road, and Jalingo/Mararaban Apawa/Zing Road are in various degrees of dilapidation that have made them mostly unfit for vehicular movement, even though government inspection officials still harass motorists over possession of certificates of roadworthiness while plying these roads.
Ezekiel Davou, a pharmacist who plies the roads most times, regretted that “we are living as if we are animals in the bush. Even animal tracks in the bush are better than the roads we drive on. These roads expose you to all kinds of security threats, slowing your movements and costing you hugely, and they destroy your tyres and other vehicle parts. It is almost always a nightmare travelling. Even when you arrive safely without an incident, it takes you days to recover from the excruciating body pains. For those of us who are always on the road, it’s really very bad.”
Alhaji Tanko Gassol, the spokesperson of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Taraba branch, observed that apart from Jalingo-Sunkani-Garbachede federal road, which was undertaken by the state government, all other federal roads in the state are not in good shape. Gassol listed such bad roads as Wukari-Takum, Bali-Takum, Mararaba-Baisa, Bali-Gembu and Zing-Pantisawa.
Gombe State has witnessed significant progress in its road infrastructure over the years. The successive administrations in the state have invested heavily in the construction and maintenance of rural and township roads. However, the situation of federal roads linking Gombe and the other three North-Eastern states is a major cause of concern for many. The decay of these roads has continued for a long time with no significant effort to fix them.
This situation has led to several negative impacts on the people and the economy of the region. The poor state of these federal roads makes it difficult for people to travel from one state to another. The roads are riddled with potholes, lingering bridge washouts and collapse, making it challenging for drivers to navigate through. This not only makes travelling to Bauchi through Alkaleri or Dukku, and Yobe through Nafada or Borno through Biu tedious but also risky, as accidents are likely to occur.
The road linking Gombe and Adamawa State is the only inter-state road that motorists enjoy plying, thanks to the intervention by former President Muhammadu Buhari who ensured the full reconstruction of the road. However, stakeholders are still advocating and agitating for completion of the project and its subsequent extension to Taraba State.
The federal roads in Adamawa State have been under a state of sustained disrepair over the last decade. The three senatorial zones have suffered some form of neglect despite claims of award of contracts for their repairs. An Adamawa PDP stalwart, Ahmed Lawal, has raised the alarm over the decay of the Yola-Mubi road, saying it has become a death trap, responsible for loss of lives and a nightmare to business and economic activities along Yola-Mubi axis. In a similar situation, both the former senator and the subsisting senator representing Northern Adamawa, Binta Masi, and Ishaku Abbo respectively, described as unacceptable the poor state of Mubi-Michika Road, accusing the government of lack of attention to the plight of the people of the area.
In a similar vein, the federal road connecting Numan-Jalingo is a story of failed promises by successive federal governments, as the road has remained in deplorable condition for more than a decade till date, even after president Buhari commissioned it for repairs in 2015.
Just as the road connecting Yola-Jalingo has remained commuters’ nightmare, the Yola-Gombe Road has been the most notorious, for it is in a state of disrepair until recently where an appreciable rate of work has been seen. It remains to be seen how the Bola Tinubu led government would address the nightmare experienced by Nigerians across federal roads in Adamawa.
North Central: When federal roads turn death traps
The federal roads in North Central states have been declared the worst and are in the most terrible of conditions when compared to other roads across the country. Investigations by Saturday Sun reporters, including JUDE OWUAMANAM, JOS, SCHOLASTICA ONYEKA MAKURDI , ABEL LEONARD, LAFIA revealed that, from Plateau to Benue, Nasarawa, and Niger states, there have been tales of woes for commuters and motorists plying the roads.
For instance, in Plateau State, almost all federal roads have become impassable, causing commuters to go through harrowing pains. From Jos town to Akwanga, Makurdi – Lafia – Otukpo – Enugu roads, it’s all tales of woe.
Most major transporters, who spoke to one of our correspondents in Gada Biu and Enugu Road parks, said that they had withdrawn their luxury buses because of the poor state of the roads.
Our correspondent gathered that major transporters, like Ifesinachi, Young Shall Grow and ABC Transport, have withdrawn their buses from Jos – Aba and Jos – Onitsha routes because of frequent breakdown and attack on passengers by armed robbers and kidnappers.
One of the drivers, who identified himself as Emeka, said, “We can no longer recoup our investment because of bad roads. This has been compounded by the recent increase in the price of petroleum products. Plateau State Commissioner of Works, Bulus Adams Leshak, told one of our correspondents that almost all the federal roads are impassable. He mentioned the Jos–Akwanga–Makurdi– Enugu roads, Jos–Shendam Road.
According to him, apart from the roads, most of the bridges have collapsed as a result of recent heavy rains. He gave the example of the Langtang–Panyam Road, which was built over 30 years ago.
In Benue State, from Makurdi, the state capital, to Gboko, Aliade, Otukpo, it is a tale of woes, as residents, transporters, business men and other road users lament the deplorable condition of the roads. Most residents, who spoke to our correspondent, described the roads as death traps, as they have become a common scene to see trailers falling on the roads and, most times, falling on small vehicles and crushing the occupants to death.
While “many have gone” following accidents occasioned by the deplorable condition of the roads, most portions have continued to deteriorate with other portions having a stretch of potholes deep enough to bury dead cows. The situation has grounded businesses in many parts of the state, as people who come from various parts of the country to purchase agricultural produce from the food basket of the nation state now do so under excruciating pain.
This is just as it has worsened and heightened crime rates and insecurity in the state, as bandits and other criminal elements take advantage of the bad portions of the road to perpetrate all manner of crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, among others. The implication is the huge post harvest losses, as most of what is produced end up being dumped by the road side without buyers, thereby affecting Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR). Some of the deplorable federal roads in the state include Makurdi – Naka – Adoka – Ankpab road, Makurdi – Aliade – Otukpo – Enugu road, Yandev – Ugbema road, Aliade – Oju road, Gboko – Aliade road, to mention a few.
The Chairman of the Benue Non-Governmental Organisation Network (BENGONET), Mr. Lazarus Mom, described the federal roads in the state as death traps. Mom said they were not only death traps but in very pitiable, terrible conditions, needing urgent attention of both the state and federal governments.
Said he: “A week back, we had a report of a trailer that fell on top of a small van in Ugbema. That is the road that connects Benue and Cross River state. That road is in a very terrible state. Ugbema junction is one of the busiest roads in the whole of the country, yet the road in Ugbema is in a terrible state.
“Is it Naka – Adoka – Ankpa Road? That road is another death trap. The Gboko- Makurdi is said to be repaired but you still see terrible potholes on it. “Makurdi-Enugu Road is another death trap. Aliade-Otukpo is another one. I can go on and on. The federal roads in Benue State are in the most terrible state.”
As a way forward, Mom said the state government should liaise with the federal government to fashion out terms of agreement on how to fix the roads. He called on the federal government to give priority attention to its road trunks in Benue considering the strategic importance of the state as a major agricultural hub and a vital pillar in the food security architecture of the country.
“It is also at this stage necessary to revive the rail transport system to fast track bulk movement of goods for ease of trade and commerce, and also ease off pressure on the roads networks.
Currently, Gboko/Aliade/Otukpo Road is almost impassable after a 44-year old bridge at Nomnor stream collapsed at Mbatser community, Mbayion, in Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Since then, both residents and commuters, particularly, business people who ply the route have been operating in life-threatening conditions, a situation which compelled the youths of the community to block the highways in protest.
The Gboko/Aliade/Otukpo Road connects traders and other travellers from Benue to Taraba and Adamawa states down to Maiduguri to the north and also leads to Enugu down to Lagos and other south eastern part of the country.
But while the bridge showed signs of collapse, members of the community said the immediate past federal administration looked the other way and gave a deaf ear to their cries until it finally collapsed in the first week of September, 2023.
A community leader of Mbayion, Chief Atsenda Ashwe, said he and other elders of the community had to mobilize the youths after they protested to register their grievances, to control traffic and ensure that no accident occurred there.
“The difficulty, pain and long hours of waiting we experience since part of the bridge collapsed recently is unimaginable,” a truck driver, who identified himself as Mohammed, lamented.
He said currently, there is just a small space only wide enough for one vehicle at a time. “So when we get there, we will wait and wait for hours before we can pass. That is not the only place we have to endure. The whole federal roads in Benue are bad.
“Sometimes, our members’ trucks will fall on the road. We will park to help them and it takes a lot of time. A journey we can make in one day, we end up staying on the road for two to three days. Government needs to do something,” Mohammed said. It is however worthy to note that the federal government has commenced rehabilitation work on that portion of the road.
Other drivers who spoke in Makurdi, Aondowase and Zachariah Harnongo, appealed to the federal government to fix the roads in the state to ease movement of persons and goods.
According to Aondowase, “The roads are very bad; Gboko road, Aliade road, Yandev to Katsina Ala, around Ugbema, towards Otukpo, Oju, Obi, the roads are the same. Government should fix them so that more lives would be saved. Recently, a federal lawmaker from Benue state, Asema Achado, brought before the House of Representatives, a motion on the need to declare a state of emergency on the stretch of Naka- Makurdi – Aliade- Gboko and Aliade – Otukpo roads network of the state.
It was reported that the House backed the motion and further urged the federal government to make adequate budgetary provisions and direct the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, (FERMA), to commence restorative work on that axis as a security and economic measure.
At the Federal Ministry of Works, Makurdi, the directors of works were not on seat in the office at the time of visit Tuesday afternoon.
However, a staff of the ministry who had declined to speak on the issue, confided in this reporter that two roads are under construction; a road at Apir and Gboko-Aliade road.
When asked why there’s no massive construction work ongoing despite the deplorable condition of federal roads in the state, some of which contracts have been awarded for a long time, the staff who didn’t want to be named said, for some of the roads, the problem is that the contractors have not been mobilized.
When our correspondent visited the Zonal office of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, (FERMA), located by the Wurukum roundabout, in Makurdi on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, neither the Zonal Director nor the site engineers were on seat.
Makurdi zonal office oversees Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau states.
The staff who were on ground said they do not have authority to speak concerning the state of federal roads in Benue and directed the reporter to go to their Abuja office if she wanted facts and figures concerning the roads.
But further discussions with the staff revealed that the federal government had commenced some repair works on some of the federal roads in the state.
The staffer, who wasn’t speaking officially, said their bosses were not on ground, because they had gone out to monitor ongoing projects across the zones. It was also noted that rehabilitation work is currently ongoing including the Makurdi – Aliade road to Otukpo but not handled by FERMA. The road they said was already under contract. It was gathered that at the moment the contractors are carrying out preliminary surveys and are also preparing their yards; one at Mase, Taraku, Otukpo and one at Enugu axis.
Our correspondent also gathered that the Gboko Road is currently undergoing rehabilitation, Gboko Aliade Road, which was almost cut off, is also receiving attention if not for the rains.
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, had disclosed that the federal government had approved the construction and rehabilitation of a number of federal roads in the state. Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, disclosed that the roads to be rehabilitated includes the Aliade – Gboko – Yandev, Gboko – Lassel- High – Tse Mker and Otukpo roads.
Alia said he was in regular contact with the Federal Government for the speedy completion of the Makurdi – Ugbema Road.
He called for the support of the President Tinubu administration to enable it to provide more dividends to the Benue people and Nigerians at large.
Director of Federal Roads, Ministry of Works, Engr Ibrahim Usman Adamu, said that the federal government was working hard to fix all the roads For example, he disclosed that a contract had just been signed for the reconstruction of Langtang-Wase Basha Road in Plateau State.
According to him, the federal government would also replace all bailey bridges on the road.
He said, “A new dawn is coming with the new Minister of Works, Dave Umahi. With the new technology of constructing roads with cement, our roads will last for a long time.”
In Niger State, the situation is no different. Busa-Wawa-Agwara-Roffia Road was constructed in 2010 again during the 2011 presidential election. A contract for the construction of the road was awarded by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FEMA) when the late former governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, was the chairman of the FEMA board. But no significant achievement was recorded as the contractors could not be mobilize to site.
Commenting on the condition of federal roads in the state, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mallam Suleiman Umar, said that there was the need for the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, revisit all dilapidated federal roads across the state, especially the Agaie, Katcha Baro Road, which was re-awarded last year but had become an abandoned project.
He said: “The over 30km Agaie, Katcha – Baro Road, which cost the federal government about N17.5 billion, was awarded in January 2015 and was expected to be completed by January 16, 2016. The road has been abandoned and neglected. We want the federal government to put its roads in Niger State in good condition because presently, no federal road is motorable in the state”.
He noted, however, that the federal government recently awarded contracts for some federal roads across the state. Among them are Minna-Tegina Road, the Tegina-Kontagora Road, Kontagora-Rijau roads and the completion of Minna-Suleja and Bida-Minna roads.
It is, however, pertinent to point out that the federal government has been making efforts at repairing portions of roads that broke down in the state. Although the controller of federal roads in the state was not available for comment on this issue, our correspondent gathered that selected dangerous sections of roads have been rehabilitated by the federal government through FEMA and World Bank assisted programmes.