My Odometer reading:

So a journey of about 287km took 15hrs. Its very sad.

This problems of traffic jam at Niger bridge has been happening for years and FG did nothing. Travellers stranded, families going to celebrate with their loved ones trapped in traffic, horrible. Do you still wonder why people are agitating?? Some will pass the night on that traffic, yet FG looks the other way.

What about the check points, there is no other road in this country that has as many check points as from Shagamu to Benin, almost every 1km with road blocks to allow only a vehicle pass at a time. Even highways in the Maiduguri, Yobe and Adamawa where insurgency is on the rise do not have this no of check points. Its frustrating and annoying. Is there war in the Southern part of the country?? Ore to Benin that should take about 1hr will take you almost 2hrs because of road blocks. Something is definitely wrong down South especially South East and South South.

I will post more of my experiences yesterday, for now I need to rest after a very stressful journey

Thanks everyone for your good wishes

ping2ping:
I forgot to mention one of my headlamps failed. When it was dark, it became more challenging. Fortunately I had a spare so when I got to Nkpor, I bought some fuel(a lot of fuel wasted on that traffic), I replaced the headlight bulb and continued.

Below is my Odometer reading:

Thanks for sharing your experience. I intend to travel from Abuja to Benin on 24th Dec with my Toyota camry 2001. I serviced my car a month a go, it just covered about 800km after the servicing, I don't intend to change the oil, hope I will be fine with it. Tnx

Those two ****** that nearly spoilt such a beautiful and useful thread. Mods should please clean it up

Well for my contribution:

I traveled from Lafia to Enugu yesterday via Makurdi - Otukpo - otukpa - obollo - opi road.

Journey was relatively peaceful save for the very bad Alaide - Taraku stretch.

Also relatively traffic free, Except when we got to Obollo Afor. Omo I never see that kin holdup before. Luckily the driver knew the area, so we diverted away from the express and come out at Orba junction to continue the journey down to Enugu.

In all, a peaceful journey of about 8hours. Left lafia 12pm, arrived 042 by 8pm.

Musty4ahmed1:
Thanks for sharing your experience. I intend to travel from Abuja to Benin on 24th Dec with my Toyota camry 2001. I serviced my car a month a go, it just covered about 800km after the servicing, I don't intend to change the oil, hope I will be fine with it. Tnx

You are good to go, bro. Make sure to leave early so that you can avoid the traffic in Lokoja.

Musty4ahmed1:
Thanks for sharing your experience. I intend to travel from Abuja to Benin on 24th Dec with my Toyota camry 2001. I serviced my car a month a go, it just covered about 800km after the servicing, I don't intend to change the oil, hope I will be fine with it. Tnx

If I were u.... Travel on 25th. Most people want to stay at home and eat rice and chicken with alcohol. 24th, many will travel to catch up to flex on 25th.

mejai:

If I were u.... Travel on 25th. Most people want to stay at home and eat rice and chicken with alcohol. 24th, many will travel to catch up to flex on 25th.

A friend gave me same advice this morning, I think I will oblige to that. Thank you.

aieromon:


You are good to go, bro. Make sure to leave early so that you can avoid the traffic in Lokoja.

Ok. Thank you bro. I will, I will leave on 25th as adviced.

Update.

Left lag today by 4.00am. was at shagamu by 5 and ore by 8. Traffic had started building up along the Lagos ibadan expressway by 4.00am
These people don't sleep in this state.
Number of check points has been reduced. God bless whoever ordered them off the roads.
Customs checkpoints still plenty though.

I noticed that some policemen were starting to mount or reorganize their abandoned checkpoints between ore and benin as well as between benin and Asaba. So if you want to beat them, leave early.

Safe journey to you all. Drive safe.

ping2ping:
I got home around 9:15pm yesterday. The traffic was crazy. Spent more than 4hrs just from where they are constructing a new flyover at Asaba to Niger Bridge, a distance of about 2 or 3km. I entered another traffic jam at Upper Iweka till Zik round about. After the round about, the road was free. It was very hectic. Lots of trucks and commercial buses, their drivers think private car drivers do not know how to drive so will always try to bully them. It was fun at times driving like you are high on something especially on that traffic jam.

I left home 6am and got to the village 9:15pm(15hrs).

My uncle who joined a public transport got home 12:30am this morning. Someone who is travelling to Lagos this morning told me that the traffic at Niger Bridge is still there.

My candid advice for anyone travelling the Eastern route this period should try and leave as early as possible, make sure your headlamps are bright enough. If you are going by public transport then choose a known transport company in case you have to sleep over at their park. For people travelling to Akwa Ibom or Calabar, you can break the journey, which ever way, you will run into that heavy traffic at Niger Bridge.

Thanks to God for journey mercies, many Akwa lbom transporters now ply Benin-sapele - warri - port Harcourt Road including seat at home days

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.

That was a nice trip

Set out for my trip to Benin from Abuja this morning aroud 6.50am from Area 11, got to Gwagwalada around 7.35 some vehicular traffic though mild, got to Lokoja some few minutes past 9am vehicular traffic around Ganaja because of the construction spent like 30 minute, headed straight to Okene, vehicular traffic around Kabba junction leading to Obajana, I heard road block there, so drivers were diverting to take Okene route, l got to Okene around 11.45am to deliver a luggage a friend pleaded I give his mum aroud Total filling Station Okene , relaxed a bit currently at Okpella enjoying some bush meat and wine, I will be heading to Auchi. I will update later.

Musty4ahmed1:
Set out for my trip to Benin from Abuja this morning aroud 6.50am from Area 11, got to Gwagwalada around 7.35 some vehicular traffic though mild, got to Lokoja some few minutes past 9am vehicular traffic around Ganaja because of the construction spent like 30 minute, headed straight to Okene, vehicular traffic around Kabba junction leading to Obajana, I heard road block there, so drivers were diverting to take Okene route, l got to Okene around 11.45am to deliver a luggage a friend pleaded I give his mum aroud Total filling Station Okene , relaxed a bit currently at Okpella enjoying some bush meat and wine, I will be heading to Auchi. I will update later.

chaiiiii the Bush meat part and wine is very interesting o,no be only fuel thank needs refilling, fire on bros, safe trip

I arrived Benin safely 6.30pm yesterday. I thank God for the journey mercies.

Has anyone travelled along the Enugu - Abuja route recently? I'll be driving from Owerri to Abuja in a Toyota 4runner V6, I'd like to know the best route to take and any useful tip would be appreciated.

NB - it's going to be my first time to engage in a long distance drive.

Louisschafer:
Has anyone travelled along the Enugu - Abuja route recently? I'll be driving from Owerri to Abuja in a Toyota 4runner V6, I'd like to know the best route to take and any useful tip would be appreciated.

NB - it's going to be my first time to engage in a long distance drive.

Just make sure your car is in good shape , service engine and gear , check your tyres and enjoy the drive down , speed responsibly .

Just seeing this thread..
Traveled on the 26th of Dec from Lagos to Anambra.
Left 5am, got to Onitsha by 2pm. (Spent 2hrs @ headbridge traffic)
Return Journey;
Left Anambra by 6.00am got to Magboro by 1.30pm ish
Smooth Journey to and fro.

Would love to make these trips more often... but police and customs kill the vibe tbh

735i:


Would love to make these trips more often... but police and customs kill the vibe tbh

Exactly, especially between Ore and Benin.

ping2ping:
I got home around 9:15pm yesterday. The traffic was crazy. Spent more than 4hrs just from where they are constructing a new flyover at Asaba to Niger Bridge, a distance of about 2 or 3km. I entered another traffic jam at Upper Iweka till Zik round about. After the round about, the road was free. It was very hectic. Lots of trucks and commercial buses, their drivers think private car drivers do not know how to drive so will always try to bully them. It was fun at times driving like you are high on something especially on that traffic jam.

I left home 6am and got to the village 9:15pm(15hrs).

My uncle who joined a public transport got home 12:30am this morning. Someone who is travelling to Lagos this morning told me that the traffic at Niger Bridge is still there.

My candid advice for anyone travelling the Eastern route this period should try and leave as early as possible, make sure your headlamps are bright enough. If you are going by public transport then choose a known transport company in case you have to sleep over at their park. For people travelling to Akwa Ibom or Calabar, you can break the journey, which ever way, you will run into that heavy traffic at Niger Bridge.

I remembered a day I was driving from asaba to owerri,I climbed the Niger bridge by 6:30 pm and climbed down in onitsha by 8 pm,the traffic that day was bad,I reached owerri by 11 pm

ping2ping:
So a journey of about 287km took 15hrs. Its very sad.

This problems of traffic jam at Niger bridge has been happening for years and FG did nothing. Travellers stranded, families going to celebrate with their loved ones trapped in traffic, horrible. Do you still wonder why people are agitating?? Some will pass the night on that traffic, yet FG looks the other way.

What about the check points, there is no other road in this country that has as many check points as from Shagamu to Benin, almost every 1km with road blocks to allow only a vehicle pass at a time. Even highways in the Maiduguri, Yobe and Adamawa where insurgency is on the rise do not have this no of check points. Its frustrating and annoying. Is there war in the Southern part of the country?? Ore to Benin that should take about 1hr will take you almost 2hrs because of road blocks. Something is definitely wrong down South especially South East and South South.

I will post more of my experiences yesterday, for now I need to rest after a very stressful journey

Thanks everyone for your good wishes

Thanks for this heads-up baba.
I believe it helped a lot of people.

Just noticed a common error people make and thought I should give a hint.

From your odometer readings, your journey was actually 287miles (not km) and that's about 462km. Hope this helps someone.

Please who has travelled from lagos to East of recent?

pillarmaria:
Please who has travelled from lagos to East of recent?

smooth journey.. east has the best road now

pillarmaria:
Please who has travelled from lagos to East of recent?

If you are using public transport then just relax you will get to your location before night falls, the headache currently is Benin bypass. That spot is a nightmare, hopefully it will dry up before the festive season.

Cupidkc:


If you are using public transport then just relax you will get to your location before night falls, the headache currently is Benin bypass. That spot is a nightmare, hopefully it will dry up before the festive season.

Thanks Boss

soloehis:
smooth journey.. east has the best road now

I intend driving to the east for the first time and it's been a while I travelled. Thanks for the update.

Who has traveled Lagos to Onitsha this December 2023? Will be hoping for a heads up on road conditions and security tips

Let's talk about routes . Esp for people traveling these period .

North
South
East
West

Please drop updates .