Stakeholders bemoan deplorable roads in North-east

Stakeholders in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa have expressed concern over the deplorable conditions of some major roads in the North-east.

The stakeholders made this known while responding to a survey from News reporters on the state of major roads in the country.

Newsmen report that the decades-old insurgency has restricted access to many highways, making routine maintenance and reconstruction difficult, while the use of heavy-duty military vehicles has accelerated wear and tear on existing road infrastructure.

According to them, the bad state of the roads undermines trade and commerce and poses a threat to agriculture, peace and security of the region.

Mallam Ali Bukar, a commercial car driver in Maiduguri, identified the 105.6km Maiduguri-Monguno Highway as one of the most dilapidated roads in the state.

He said the critical corridor, linking Maiduguri and northern Borno communities, served as a major military and humanitarian supply route to Monguno, Marte, Kukawa and communities around the Lake Chad Basin.

Bukar said that although rehabilitation works had resumed on the road, large portions of it remained difficult to navigate.

“Before the rehabilitation commenced, the journey was extremely difficult. Vehicles broke down regularly and transport costs increased because of constant repairs.

“Things are improving gradually, but there are still sections that require urgent reconstruction,” the driver said.

Mr Abba Kolo, another driver, said the Dikwa-Marte-Monguno road was also in a bad state as several portions of the road had virtually disappeared due to years of neglect.

“There are communities where movement becomes extremely difficult during the rainy season.

“Many farmers struggle to move produce to markets because vehicles avoid some sections of the road,” he said.

Newsmen observed that the Maiduguri-Dikwa Highway also continued to experience challenges despite periodic maintenance interventions.

Several sections of the road were washed off by erosion and pavement failure requires comprehensive and urgent rehabilitation.

The reporters also observed that the Dikwa-Monguno corridor requires substantial reconstruction, particularly in sections damaged by erosion and prolonged military operations.

Mr Musa Gana, a fish trader in Baga, said drivers often charged excessive fares due to the condition of the Monguno-Baga Road, a critical corridor to the Lake Chad fishing hub.

Babagana Goni, another commuter said that the Kukawa-Damasak and Damasak-Gudumbali roads were among the major federal routes requiring urgent intervention.

He said that the roads provide access to border communities and are strategically important for trade and security operations along the Niger Republic axis.

Similarly, the Bama-Banki Highway, which links Nigeria to neighbouring Cameroon, continued to require extensive reconstruction despite receiving temporary repairs over the years.

Ba’a Mustapha, a businessman who described the route as one of the most important international corridors in the North-east, said that the road had remained in very bad condition due to the insecurity.

Mustapha said that heavy trucks still passed through the banki road linking several countries including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, noting that the road had not been renovated for more than two decades.

Mr Ibrahim Hassan, a truck driver operating along the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki route, said poor road conditions significantly increase transportation costs.

“The road is strategic because it connects Nigeria and Cameroon. When roads are bad, the cost of transporting goods rises and businesses suffer,” he said.

Further findings by the reporters revealed growing concerns over the condition of the Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri corridor.

Residents and transport operators say the road has suffered years of neglect despite serving as a critical gateway linking southern Borno to the state capital.

Bashir Mustapha, a businessman in Damboa, said rehabilitation of the road would significantly improve commercial activities across southern Borno.

“The road is very important for farmers, traders and travellers. We hope the federal government extends the current intervention beyond Biu to Damboa and Maiduguri,” he said.

Alhaji Muktar Suleiman, the spokesman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Borno, expressed concern over the condition of several federal highways in the state.

Suleiman said transport operators had continued to bear huge costs arising from poor road infrastructure.

“Many of the roads were affected by insurgency and could not be maintained for years. Vehicle maintenance costs have increased significantly while travel times have become longer,” he said.

In Yobe, motorists and commuters have also expressed concern over the deplorable condition of the 133km Damaturu-Gujba-Biu road.

A commercial vehicle driver, Yau Abubakar, said he spent over an hour plying the road from Buni Yadi to Buratai, a few-minute journey under normal circumstances.

“I have been plying this road for over 20 years and I can tell you that this road has never been this bad.

“We used to spend two to two and a half hours from Buni Yadi to Buratai, but because of the potholes, it is now a journey of about three and a half to four hours,” he said.

Another motorist, Modu Ibrahim, said that the road became terribly bad over a decade ago, urging the federal government to rehabilitate it for security reasons.

“There are important military formations along this road, including the Nigerian Army Acclimatisation Centre and of course, the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari.

“I am not a security expert, but I do know that troops of these formations patrolling this road to protect us from insurgents’ attacks will perform better if this road is rehabilitated.

“It is not only the commercial motorists that need a good road here because heavy military equipment too cannot move freely on bad roads, and this can undermine the counterinsurgency operations,” Ibrahim said.

Malam Bala Audu, NURTW Bus Section Chairman in Potiskum, identified the Potiskum–Gombe, Potiskum–Gashua, Kallallawa-Kaliyari, Kaliyari-Baymari, Baymari -Garin Alkali, Baymari-Geidam as some of the most deplorable roads in the state.

According to him, the bad roads extend travel time drastically as a journey that typically takes two to three hours now lasts up to five hours.

He also emphasised the growing safety risks, revealing that accidents occur frequently along these routes, often resulting in loss of life.

Similarly, the Chairman of the NURTW Taxi Section in the area, Malam Ibrahim Dapchi, highlighted the financial losses incurred by transporters as a result of bad roads.

According to him, the poor state of the roads not only affects vehicles but also damages goods being transported.

Dapchi called on the government to prioritise the rehabilitation of these critical roads, stressing that improved road conditions will enhance safety, reduce losses, and boost economic activities in the region.

Stakeholders in Adamawa, however, urged the federal government to ensure the timely completion of the Yola-Lafiya-Gombe road undergoing rehabilitation to ease transportation challenges and improve safety along the critical artery.

Mr Umar Malam-Babba, Chairman of NURTW in Adamawa, described the ongoing rehabilitation on a section of the road as a welcome development.

“The project is long overdue and requires speedy completion to reduce accidents and other hardships experienced by motorists.

“The poor condition of the road had led to loss of lives, property and economic opportunities in Adamawa and neighbouring states,” he said.

Mallam-Babba added that transport operators had suffered losses from damaged goods, resulting in disputes and court cases involving customers.

The chairman appealed to the federal government to complete the project on schedule and also rehabilitate roads linking Jalingo, Mubi and Madagali, which were in a terrible state.

He said quality road infrastructure would enhance safety, promote economic growth and reduce vehicle maintenance costs for transport operators.

He urged the state and federal governments to invest more in road infrastructure, considering rising fuel prices and operational costs facing transporters.

A motorist, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmadu said motorists currently spend between 30 and 45 minutes on sections of the Yola-Lafiya-Gombe road that ordinarily should take less than five minutes.

Another motorist, Mr Felix David, expressed concern over the activities of hoodlums who were allegedly in the habit of stealing goods from slow-moving trucks on damaged portions of the highway.

“Criminals often cut truck covers at night and remove goods while vehicles navigate difficult sections of the road,” he said.

Commenting on the condition of highways in Adamawa, Mr Demas Tuwai, Controller of Works in the state, said the Federal Government remained committed to delivering quality road infrastructure nationwide.

Tuwai assured motorists of the timely completion of ongoing projects under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the projects were aimed at improving transportation services and boosting economic activities across the country.

The controller advised motorists to avoid speeding around construction zones to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of road users and workers.