Well guys, i decided to open this thread for those on road trips on majors highways to share their experience. Tell the road, your first hand experience in terms of traffic, check points, armed robbery/banditry/kidnapping, state of the road.

I believe this will help potential travelers to take that route to make informed decision and together we will help each other.

Some of the roads include but not limited to:
Shagamu - Ijebu Ode - Benin,
Benin Bypass - Asaba - Onitsha,
Onitsha - Owerri - Aba,
Umuahia - Ikot Ekpene - Uyo - Calabar,
Onitsha - Awka - Enugu - Abakaliki,
Benin - Warri - Bayelsa - PortHarcourt,
Lagos - Ibadan - Ife - Akure - Owo,
Owo - Okene - Lokoja,
Ilesa - Ekiti - Obajana - Lokoja
Lokoja - Abuja, Abuja - Kaduna - Zaria - Kano,
Abuja - Akwanga - Forest - Jos,
Ibadan - Oyo - Ogbomoso - Ilorin - Mokwa - Jebba,
Abuja - Lokoja - Nsukka - Enugu - Umuahia - Portharcourt
Etc

I will be doing Ijebu-Ode - Ore - Benin - Asaba - Onitsha - Ekwulobia next week by Gods grace. I will update us here preparations, the journey and the arrival. Be sure to follow as i will update at every stop

I pray that we shall have a safe trip to which ever part of the country we are travelling to during this yuletide.

I made a trip from Lagos to Benin on Saturday 10th Dec. Left home by 9am hit Lagos Ibadan exp by 10am. Was dring a Ford edge with my kids inside. The road was traffic free all the way from Lagos till Ore. My vehicle broke down on 3 occasions. The amazing thing about the journey was that the police were friendly. In most check points they didn't stop me cos of kids. Others politely just asked a little token N100 or N200, one even asked for my bottle water which I gladly gave him. Another stopped me checked my stuff in the booth and allowed me to go. Only one checked my particulars. Everything was complete and he handed them back to me bade me farewell without asking for money. My advice, leave home early, ensure your vehicle is in good condition to avoid unnecessary delay and exploitation by road side mechanics. Move with your complete vehicle particulars (photocopies). Be patient with the policemen and allow them do their job. I got to Benin 7pm.

gabito4luv:
I made a trip from Lagos to Benin on Saturday 10th Dec. Left home by 9am hit Lagos Ibadan exp by 10am. Was dring a Ford edge with my kids inside. The road was traffic free all the way from Lagos till Ore. My vehicle broke down on 3 occasions. The amazing thing about the journey was that the police were friendly. In most check points they didn't stop me cos of kids. Others politely just asked a little token N100 or N200, one even asked for my bottle water which I gladly gave him. Another stopped me checked my stuff in the booth and allowed me to go. Only one checked my particulars. Everything was complete and he handed them back to me bade me farewell without asking for money. My advice, leave home early, ensure your vehicle is in good condition to avoid unnecessary delay and exploitation by road side mechanics. Move with your complete vehicle particulars (photocopies). Be patient with the policemen and allow them do their job. I got to Benin 7pm.

You got to Benin 7pm, that's about 9hrs considering you joined Lagos - Ibadan expressway by 10am. Well you said your car broke down three times so i guess that's the cause of the delay

gabito4luv:
I made a trip from Lagos to Benin on Saturday 10th Dec. Left home by 9am hit Lagos Ibadan exp by 10am. Was dring a Ford edge with my kids inside. The road was traffic free all the way from Lagos till Ore. My vehicle broke down on 3 occasions. The amazing thing about the journey was that the police were friendly. In most check points they didn't stop me cos of kids. Others politely just asked a little token N100 or N200, one even asked for my bottle water which I gladly gave him. Another stopped me checked my stuff in the booth and allowed me to go. Only one checked my particulars. Everything was complete and he handed them back to me bade me farewell without asking for money. My advice, leave home early, ensure your vehicle is in good condition to avoid unnecessary delay and exploitation by road side mechanics. Move with your complete vehicle particulars (photocopies). Be patient with the policemen and allow them do their job. I got to Benin 7pm.

Try not to put your kids at risk driving a faulty vehicle or one that has a history of being untrustworthy...an adult male can bear this....but wife and kids? ....no naw

Imagine the vehicle broke down in a area full of kidnappers and armed robbers ...and your daughter and wife getting gangraped simply because Daddy put them in a faulty vehicle...

Lagos-Benin isn't that far for a normally operating vehicle not to make it without breaking down thrice.

That being said,

Me I can't risk any road trip now ....unless there is no airport to or close to my destination..... Criminals have turned Nigerian roads to Russian Roulette... surviving them or not na Baba Ijebu these days..

Now that all local flights are fully booked, I will just stay where I am if I don't have a prebooked flight to my destination...

buygala:
That being said,

Me I can't risk any road trip now ....unless there is no airport to or close to my destination..... Criminals have turned Nigerian roads to Russian Roulette... surviving them or not na Baba Ijebu these days..

Now that all local flights are fully booked, I will just stay where I am if I don't have a prebooked flight to my destination...

Well, some cannot afford to travel by air.

Those that will travel today can kindly update us

ping2ping:


Well, some cannot afford to travel by air.

Those that will travel today can kindly update us

True


They can afford to be kidnapped for ransom and robbed

buygala:


True


They can afford to be kidnapped for ransom and robbed

I for tell you something but make I leave am.

buygala:


True


They can afford to be kidnapped for ransom and robbed

People travel on the road daily. You can't distort this fact. Let the thread cater to this set of people.

aieromon:


People travel on the road daily. You can't distort this fact. Let the thread cater to this set of people.

Ya...

People get kidnapped and are killed on the road every day Sir

You can't distort that fact either...

As we dey talk, e better make we clear viewers of the thread on the cons of road travel in Nigeria as well...before someone coming from the abroad will arrive Nigeria and will drive into problem...

Let those who feel inclined to take the risk do so..also let those who might not take that risk have info that may save a life

gabito4luv:
I made a trip from Lagos to Benin on Saturday 10th Dec. Left home by 9am hit Lagos Ibadan exp by 10am. Was dring a Ford edge with my kids inside. The road was traffic free all the way from Lagos till Ore. My vehicle broke down on 3 occasions.

Glad you made it safely. What was the cause of the vehicle breakdown?

buygala:


Ya...

People get kidnapped and are killed on the road every day Sir

You can't distort that fact either...

As we dey talk, e better make we clear viewers of the thread on the cons of road travel in Nigeria as well...before someone coming from the abroad will arrive Nigeria and will drive into problem...

Let those who feel inclined to take the risk do so..also let those who might not take that risk have info that may save a life

Rest oga, don't spoil the fun of this thread naa, haba.

You wan clear viewers, na Togo dem base abi na Ghana, dem tell you say dem no know how Nigeria be now?
Abeg dey calm down and don't derail the thread pls.

Will be making mine on 2nd January
Lagos to Anambra (Nnewi and Awka)
Then umuahia might visit Awka-Ibom (ibeno)

Smooth journey I pray for us all wey go dey on the highway this festive period

I made a road trip from Abuja to Umuahia and back. I passed through the Abuja-Lokoja-Ajaaokuta-Enugu route. Car is Honda Civic 2006. It was a very smooth journey with so many Police, Army and Vigilante Checkpoints. My car is tinted but once I approach any checkpoint, I wind down all the four windows. Most of the officers at the checkpoint were really courteous except for one yeye Police guy around Enugu who continued to insist on a tinted permit despite my explanations to him that the IG has suspended issuance of tinted permits. Pls don't drive with a tinted glass now if you don't know your onions, except you have the permit. For me, it's not an issue, I'm a lawyer and never bordered about Police and their excesses. It was a wonderful journey. The roads are smoother now except from Otukpa junction to Obollo-afor. Just drive calmly and stay within a reasonable speed. Safe journey guys.

aieromon:


Glad you made it safely. What was the cause of the vehicle breakdown?

My fuel pump was beginning to fail. Never had issues with before. Also the mechanic in Benin said something about servicing the gear filter. The car moves very well but after driving for about an hr or more it begins to slowdown on its own. Then I'll park ask a mechanic to check thru without opening anything. Then continue again.

Mmgboji:
I made a road trip from Abuja to Umuahia and back. I passed through the Abuja-Lokoja-Ajaaokuta-Enugu route.

Have you plied the Maraba Udege route that connects Otukpa to Keffi in Nasarawa? I learnt the route is shorter but lonely. What's your take?

Mendy31:
Will be making mine on 2nd January
Lagos to Anambra (Nnewi and Awka)
Then umuahia might visit Awka-Ibom (ibeno)

Smooth journey I pray for us all wey go dey on the highway this festive period

Remember to update us here. This i believe will help those who are planning on taking a road trip and fun for others who wonder what it takes to take road trips.

Mmgboji:
I made a road trip from Abuja to Umuahia and back. I passed through the Abuja-Lokoja-Ajaaokuta-Enugu route. Car is Honda Civic 2006. It was a very smooth journey with so many Police, Army and Vigilante Checkpoints. My car is tinted but once I approach any checkpoint, I wind down all the four windows. Most of the officers at the checkpoint were really courteous except for one yeye Police guy around Enugu who continued to insist on a tinted permit despite my explanations to him that the IG has suspended issuance of tinted permits. Pls don't drive with a tinted glass now if you don't know your onions, except you have the permit. For me, it's not an issue, I'm a lawyer and never bordered about Police and their excesses. It was a wonderful journey. The roads are smoother now except from Otukpa junction to Obollo-afor. Just drive calmly and stay within a reasonable speed. Safe journey guys.

When did you do the road trip and what was the traffic like especially Abuja - Lokoja??

ping2ping:


When did you do the road trip and what was the traffic like especially Abuja - Lokoja??

The trip was 2weeks ago. Not much traffic in Lokoja. Spent about 25minutes at the Ganaja flyover (which is under construction)

aieromon:


Have you plied the Maraba Udege route that connects Otukpa to Keffi in Nasarawa? I learnt the route is shorter but lonely. What's your take?

No I haven't plied that route. I bet I won't even take any route that I have been told is lonely.

buygaIa:



Try not to put your kids at risk driving a faulty vehicle or one that has a history of being untrustworthy...an adult male can bear this....but wife and kids? ....no naw

Imagine the vehicle broke down in a area full of kidnappers and armed robbers ... and your daughter and wife getting gangraped simply because Daddy put them in a faulty vehicle...

Lagos-Benin isn't that far for a normally operating vehicle not to make it without breaking down thrice.

From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh

All I will add regarding the bold part is, it takes a certain kind of depraved, perverted imagination to come up with such a specific scenario, and go ahead to type it and post it.

Gravatar:


From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh

All I will add regarding the bold part is, it takes a certain kind of depraved, perverted imagination to come up with such a specific scenario, and go ahead to type it and post it.

both you and buygala are in the same school of thought.

Low, deranged, mentally incapable of concocting sensible posts.

Stop dragging your fellow accomplice in foolery

Gravatar:


From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh

All I will add regarding the bold part is, it takes a certain kind of depraved, perverted imagination to come up with such a specific scenario, and go ahead to type it and post it.

And it takes a totally non-existent imagination or an imbecilic disconnect from current happenings to think that one has to be a pervert to be able to warn people about mishaps that have sadly become a norm these days..

The way I dey look you so, e fit be say you dey among those wey dey gangrape kids and their mothers.....abi why the heads-up wey I give that guy come dey pepper you for body? ...abi u bin dey reason to waylay am, make you and your crew of co-imbeciles rape his wife and daughters?

OfficialDJ:
both you and buygala are in the same school of thought.

Low, deranged, mentally incapable of concocting sensible posts.

Stop dragging your fellow accomplice in foolery

Still waiting for you to take up that number-plate challenge

Bumbling retard

buygala:


Still waiting for you to take up that number-plate challenge

Bumbling retard

you just concoct meaningless, half baked disjointed words which affirms my assertion that you're a sharia charge and bail lawyer...

I have a spy number plate you dingbat, not that Old cardboard contraption you call a number plate....


I'm gifting my madam the 2015 c300 soon, maybe you should tell your wife, if you have any to ask my madam for hers....


The gap in between your teeth shows the distance between you and sense..

Gtfoh clown

OfficialDJ:
you just concoct meaningless, half baked disjointed words which affirms my assertion that you're a sharia charge and bail lawyer...

I have a spy number plate you dingbat, not that Old cardboard contraption you call a number plate....


I'm gifting my madam the 2015 c300 soon, maybe you should tell your wife, if you have any to ask my madam for hers....


The gap in between your teeth shows the distance between you and sense..

Gtfoh clown

A mutual acquaintance once said you have a personality disorder ... acquaintance wey sabi u reach house


Oga post your SPY plates like that...we go verify am ..And better still, post the name of the registered company that you own whose name you used to register the SPY plates...at least we can verify that one from CAC website


U think say as your brain dey get partial contact na so other people own be ......Ewu Gambia

buygala:






A mutual acquaintance once said you have a personality disorder ... acquaintance wey sabi u reach house


Oga post your SPY plates like that...we go verify am ..And better still, post the name of the registered company that you own whose name you used to register the SPY plates...at least we can verify that one from CAC website


U think say as your brain dey get partial contact na so other people own be ......Ewu Gambia

a mutual acquitance my black arse.
Why should I post my plates for this black dirty skinned, hermaphrodite with a perchance for terrorism?

I gave you an offer like a real confident man would (let's compare account balances here, and if your account reads up to a million, then I'd send 500k. But as expected, a broke piss poor riff-raff doesn't have close to a quarter of that, and he brought up number plates)

I'm sure you must have hit your head on the ground when being birthed.

You sad sad boy with a battered Honda jalopy...
Your life is surely a movie that always has sad endings.

There's truly no comparison with light and day.
Rain and sunshine
Go compare yourself with almajiris begging for alms up North, as that's your level.......



Battered, scattered, regurgitated gay gay with a perchance for being insanely kleptomatic....

OfficialDJ:
a mutual acquitance my black arse.
Why should I post my plates for this black dirty skinned, hermaphrodite with a perchance for terrorism?

I gave you an offer like a real confident man would (let's compare account balances here, and if your account reads up to a million, then I'd send 500k. But as expected, a broke piss poor riff-raff doesn't have close to a quarter of that, and he brought up number plates)

I'm sure you must have hit your head on the ground when being birthed.

You sad sad boy with a battered Honda jalopy...
Your life is surely a movie that always has sad endings.

There's truly no comparison with light and day.
Rain and sunshine
Go compare yourself with almajiris begging for alms up North, as that's your level.......



Battered, scattered, regurgitated gay gay with a perchance for being insanely kleptomatic....

So many adjectives in one post...one of the features of the criminally insane

I already responded to your sham account balance display..Go choke on camel piss if you are still angry I refused to be dragged into a Photoshop competition

You also had to copy my previous post where I talked about your head being hit when you were a baby ......for you to remember that line, the tin pain you gannnnn ..

You need to check yourself into an asylum bro...before you comot boxers enter market...


Joke aside bro, I am seriously concerned about your mental state....no human being should be this silly, even if na Hiroshima Bomb dem detonate for him head... because you would actually be better off dead than embarrassing your innocent family like this

buygala:



So many adjectives in one post...one of the features of the criminally insane

I already responded to your sham account balance display..Go choke on camel piss if you are still angry I refused to be dragged into a Photoshop competition

You also had to copy my previous post where I talked about your head being hit when you were a baby ......for you to remember that line, the tin pain you gannnnn ..

You need to check yourself into an asylum bro...before you comot boxers enter market...


Joke aside bro, I am seriously concerned about your mental state....no human being should be this silly, even if na Hiroshima Bomb dem detonate for him head... because you would actually be better off dead than embarrassing your innocent family like this

You just came to hijack the thread. You ve made your point, leave let others have access to meaningful info.

buygala:



So many adjectives in one post...one of the features of the criminally insane

I already responded to your sham account balance display..Go choke on camel piss if you are still angry I refused to be dragged into a Photoshop competition

You also had to copy my previous post where I talked about your head being hit when you were a baby ......for you to remember that line, the tin pain you gannnnn ..

You need to check yourself into an asylum bro...before you comot boxers enter market...


Joke aside bro, I am seriously concerned about your mental state....no human being should be this silly, even if na Hiroshima Bomb dem detonate for him head... because you would actually be better off dead than embarrassing your innocent family like this

you've used the bro name on me many times too many.

I'm not your bro you albino dingbat.

A dirty skinned hillbilly with an iq similar to that of a blackboard chalk isn't qualified to call me bro.

You're boring me with these half weighted attempts to throw a jab.
I copied your previous post? Big time joker
This gay amoeba with serious halitosis thinks I'd have the time to dig up posts of a deadweight who still drives a beat up Japanese jalopy with his charge and bail lawyer career in the balance?

You are a single frustrated bloke replying mentions at 12am in the morning, and you are really airheaded.

What a sad boy.

That grey hair on your beards signifies nothing other than foolishness that was inherited from a generation of fools and never do wells that frolics nairaland throwing pathetic and moronic posts in other to sound bright.

You're just a sad lonely boy, and your life must be so down the hill in real life..

Dirty charge and bail lawyer with a pedophile tendency...

conyema12:


You just came to hijack the thread. You ve made your point, leave let others have access to meaningful info.

imagine what that stupid pedophile, buygala can emit from his empty skull in a bid to sound woke. Why haven't the moderators taken care of that regurgitated dingbat?

OfficialDJ:
you've used the bro name on me many times too many.

I'm not your bro you albino dingbat.

A dirty skinned hillbilly with an iq similar to that of a blackboard chalk isn't qualified to call me bro.

You're boring me with these half weighted attempts to throw a jab.
I copied your previous post? Big time joker
This gay amoeba with serious halitosis thinks I'd have the time to dig up posts of a deadweight who still drives a beat up Japanese jalopy with his charge and bail lawyer career in the balance?

You are a single frustrated bloke replying mentions at 12am in the morning, and you are really airheaded.

What a sad boy.

That grey hair on your beards signifies nothing other than foolishness that was inherited from a generation of fools and never do wells that frolics nairaland throwing pathetic and moronic posts in other to sound bright.

You're just a sad lonely boy, and your life must be so down the hill in real life..

Dirty charge and bail lawyer with a pedophile tendency...

K