Of all the major highways in Edo State, the Bénin-Okenne-Abuja and Benin-Ore-Lagos are the most strategic for travellers across the country. The two roads connect the South-West and the North to the South South and South East. There usually are heavy vehicular traffic on the roads, especially during festive periods.
The nightmare experienced by travellers and motorists plying the Bénin-Auchi Road in 2016 has returned. Motorists had previously resorted to taking the Agbor axis or pass through Igueben to get to Ekpoma.
The public outcry about the deplorable condition of the Bénin-Okenne highway had led to remedial work being done on it, but the heavy rains in recent times have destroyed the palliative work and rendered it impassable. The numerous potholes on the road are now giving motorists nightmares.
At Obagie village near Ugha, the road has been cut off completely. Ehor Junction near Jehovah’s Witness has a big pothole that causes serious traffic jam while the conditions of many other sections of the road make travelling a tortuous affair.
Some progress has, however, been made in the dualisation of the Bénin-Auchi-Okenne highway. The contractors handling the various sections of the road were sighted by our correspondent at different spots. A journey from Benin to Ekpoma, which ordinarily should take not more than between 45 minutes and one hour, now takes more than two hours, while a journey from Bénin to Okenne through Auchi takes up to six hours!
The sections of the road that are particularly bad include Okpella, Ekpoma and Ehor. Sadly, as motorists make effort to avoid the bad spots as they pass through Okpella community, the locals block the road and demand for money before they would allow them to pass.
In Ekpoma, the bad sections force motorists to pass through the township roads, which incidentally are also under construction. To ease movement, the Chairman of Esan West Local Government, Mr. Patrick Aguinede, arranged for the pouring of stones on the road between J5 Junction and Timray filling station.
Some motorists who spoke with our correspondent said the government should urge the contractors, particularly the ones handing the Ekpoma axis of the road, to intensify their efforts.
Aguinede, in a chat with our correspondent, described the condition of the road as pathetic, saying that he had spent millions of naira to fill the potholes with stones at the Ekpoma section.
Lamenting the situation, he said: “The road was totally bad. I had to pour 15 trucks of hard core (big stones) on the road for vehicles to pass. I also had to pour another five trucks in other sections. The contractors should come and refund the millions of naira I have spent. I am tired of trying all the time to make the federal road motorable. The contractors in charge should do the palliative works needed on the road.”
Also, the owner of Ray Royal firm, Rev Matthew Okpebholo, was also said to have helped in pouring gravels on some failed parts of the road.
A commuter, Mr. Ibrahim Yusuf, who had just returned from a trip to Abuja, likened his experience to the tortuous journey of the Israelites in the bible.
He said: “The roads are in such deplorable conditions. The Benin/Auchi Road from Ehor down to Ekpoma and to Agbede is almost impassable.
“Government must urgently rehabilitate this road, especially now that the EMBER months, which usually involves mass movement of people and goods, are here.
“My journey was rough because of the bad roads.”
Transporters plying the Benin-Auchi route are considering raising the fare from N1,000 to N1,500 due to the losses incurred from vehicle repairs and the long hours they spend on the road. t press time, the transport fare had been raised to N1,200.
The Manager of Afenmai Line, one of the private transport companies in Edo, Mr. Salihu Momoh, said the bad roads were affecting their business adversely as many of the buses in their fleet are always trapped on the road.
He said: “As you can see, only one bus has returned from Auchi since morning, and this is 3 pm. Others are choked on the road. We had to tow two of our vehicles from that road yesterday.
“Passengers are coming but there are no buses on ground. Drivers who used to ply the road two or three times daily can only make one trip now. Some of my drivers are even refusing to ply the road now. Bad road leads to loss of revenue.”
A driver at the park of Afenmai Line, who gave his name as Abel, said drivers now spend six hours travelling from Benin to Auchi. He said they now have to go through Agbor to Ekpoma through Igueben just to reduce the time they spend to four or five hours.
At Big Joe Motors, the fare to Auchi was N1,200 at press time. Micheal Akhigbe, a driver, said he spent seven hours on the road on Monday taking passengers from Benin to Auchi.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Valentine Omoifo, who works at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Esan Central Local Government Area, said he and other members of the staff of the hospital now take alternative routes to Benin.
He said: “That road is hell. Many of the staff coming from Benin now resume late. I have to drive through Igueben to navigate my way to Agbor Road, which is very far. The government has to do something to help the masses plying the road.”
Robbery, kidnapping compound matters
For the Bénin-Ore highway, the problem is not much about the failed portions of the road but the fear of being kidnapped or robbed. All sorts of persons, including the sales representatives of newspapers, have been abducted on the road with ransoms paid for their release.
A lecturer at Igbinedion University, Okada, identified as Kelvin Izebeokhai, was recently killed by robbers on the road. Three women, Okuboere, Seifefa and Amara, who were travelling from Bayelsa to Lagos were also abducted on the road last month.
Only last month, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Abubakar, ran into kidnappers on the road while he was going for a function at Okada, the headquarters of Ovia North East Local Government Area. His men had to chase the kidnappers away before motorists could continue their journey. The worrisome situation made Abubakar to personally patrol the road.
What often provides cover for the kidnappers and robbers is the forest. Policemen stationed on the highway would not see them until they begin operation. A police source said the kidnappers would drag their victims through the forest to a road where motorcycles are waiting for them. The road is said to lead to Ondo and Lagos states.
Apparently embarrassed by the daily occurrence of kidnapping and to keep the Bénin-Ore axis safe, the Edo State Police Command sought approval to clear a section of the forest along the highway. Five bulldozers were hired and the contractor was assured of adequate security while on site. The purpose is also to take the battle to the kidnappers’ den in the forest.
Last month, the forest was cleared 50 metres inward between Ovia River and Okada junction. During an inspection of the forest by Abubakar, some live and expended ammunition were recovered under a shed close to the highway. It was believed to be the hiding spot of the kidnappers they struck.
Speaking to newsmen at the clearing site, Abubakar said: “For the past three weeks, I have not stayed in my office. I am always on patrol. We have destroyed lots of kidnappers’ camps.
“There is no alternative route to this road. This road is strategic to the East and the South-South. We will not allow what is happening elsewhere to happen here. This operation will be sustained.
“You can see that from these spots, they can see our men but we cannot see them. This road must be kept safe. We will not allow kidnappers to remain.
“The battle line has been drawn. We want to be seeing the kidnappers. We are experiencing pockets of attacks along this road. This is one of the black spots.
“They operate guerilla style. We have foiled their operations severely. That is why we have huge traffic flow on this road. We do not want what is happening elsewhere to happen here.
“This road is very strategic. It is gateway to the South South and South East. We are always on this road to give the public confidence.
“We have made a lot arrests and recovered arms. We have charged many to court and others are under investigation. We are not sleeping. The fight is ongoing. We will not relent. They cannot have the opportunity to operate again once they move out. We will get them.”
Last week, Abubakar reassessed the progress made on securing the Bénin-Ore highway and concluded that the kidnappers have fled.
He said: “Since we cleared the forest, they have run away. We also carried out bush combing where we destroyed a lot of camps.
“The hoodlums and kidnappers have relocated from Edo State now. For the past two weeks, there has been nothing like kidnapping along the highway.
“The exercise is ongoing and we are going to sustain it. We will ensure that travellers are safe.
“We have over 20 check points and there are senior officers tasked with the issue of supervision, and there is another patrol team going round the clock.
“We have other security measures. Edo is a no go area for criminals.”