₦airaland Forum

Night Travels along Nigerian Expressways should be considered an Xtreme sport.

So... It's 3.16am Tuesday morning and we're stuck along Benin-Sagamu expressway as information reaching us says there's an on-going operation few kilometres down the road.

Not an operation by medical doctors!
Rather an operation by men of the underworld.

We've been stuck here by the military check point off Odogbolu road for over 30 mins waiting for any incoming vehicle to confirm the situation ahead b4 we proceed.

We all alighted the luxurious bus while we waited.

It was such a cold and misty morning with very poor visibility. There was so much mist in the air you couldn't see further than 50 metres away.

The moist silver-lining of mist hovered above the thick vegetation of forests that flanked both sides of the roads.

The air was cold, clean & fresh 💚

It kinda reminded me of the crisp healthy feeling you get when you forest-bath or take a dip in a clear village stream.

I took in a couple of deep breathes and fill in my lungs with the unpolluted air around me. I could feel my lungs tingle with happiness!

... unlike the city air that makes you want to exhale immediately you took it in.

I couldn't help but wonder the diverse form of wildlifes that had their homes in the forests around us.


The men formed small circles to talk and kill time and some people took a leak... while we waited on incoming traffic for confirmation of situation at hand.

One driver of a commuter Hiace bus got tired of waiting and hit the roads.

We had over a dozen trailers, flatbeds and other luxurious buses packed alongside ours.


The men dared each other to move on but common sense held us back as the only form of arms we had on was a few machetés which was no match for a semi-automatic Kalashnikov -- the choice weapon of an average kidnapper.


It got me thinking about the security mess our country faced. It got me thinking how anyone could fall a victim.

I couldn't help but wonder how it would be if we was held up by those marauders and taken into the thick embrace of the dark forests...

I understood instantly the grave dangers road travellers face on a daily and the near-impossibility of a successful search and rescue ops in such cases.

Hmmm!

The echoes of the voices of the men around me arguing for and against the fact that it was impossible for a 10-man gang of kidnappers hold us all to ransom snapped me back to reality!


Another half an hour passed, b4 the bright beams of an LED headlamp broke into our vision and we saw a convoy of 5 cars with a siren blazing coming towards our direction.


It was a clear indication that the roads were free but we needed confirmation.

As the vehicles approached, we thought it was the Po Po or the military but nah... It was an ambulance and a few other vehicles behind it.

They gave us the green light to go on an we all boarded the bus again and hit the roads... This time the driver maintained close distance with the vehicle ahead and kept a good 60 - 80km/hr.


Hopefully, I get to my destination safe and sound. But in the meantime, it's onward together we go.

It's so heart wrenching that our beloved country wants to tread the path of instability in all angle.
From (insecurity, inflation, food scarcity, corruption and tribalism

Damnnn niggar

The truth be say no matter what na road travel sweet pass

Na because of the insecurities.


The enjoyment you derived when using road for travel is second to non

Most of my travel from state to state I use road...even if I have money for flight I still use road

That sweet feeling of waking up in the morning going to the company bus station like God is good motor
The driver go first put gospel song for the beginning of the journey then later secular songs go take over..see gbedu...you go dey see landscape, villages, mountains, rivers and forests

Daytime no safe and you expect night time to be safe hehehehe just dey play

I certainly can not travel long distance by night on Nigerian roads, really did enjoy that during my undergraduate days but can't now.

Fucking country

I can never travel at night again. When I'm not crazy

For the average Nigerians, it's on God o! These days, men of the underworld no de observe night or day. For them, all join.

Ever since I was almost kidnapped traveling with night bus ... I stopped traveling altogether.. funny enough someone called the driver and then he stopped along the road for like 30 minutes and by the time we hit the road again ... It was raining and he was speeding like a bat out of hell... As we got further about 6 to 7 kms... We started smelling that unmistakable iron smell from blood ... And as we moved even further we now saw a big empty CAC coater bus, there was blood all over the steps ans door ... You can see the smears indicating struggle and chaos ... And then a voice whispered to me " that could easily have been you " ... The smell of blood filled the air even as the rain drizzled down ... This was around 2:45 am... My question till date is, who called the driver that made him stop ? Could they be working with these evil men ? Anyway I have not traveled since then and won't ever try to travel(by road ) until this country is safe again.

The road is crazy.. left Lagos last week for Abuja at night and on my way back 3 days after we were stopped by warning of robbery going on around same axis

Thank God for Journey mercy

Sad experience. The troubling thing is that both day and night is not safe. Na only God

Beautiful write up. I was carried away. Night journey use to be the best for long distance and business men. Nigeria will be great again

Its kinda hard to make some decisions about out travel pattern.
But whether night or day, land, sea or air, that we travel, it takes the grace of the Almighty for us to arrive safely at our destination.
It is well.

Nuhu Ribadu says Nigeria is safe.

You're a good story teller.

Hmm, imagine seeing this when you're on your way to Benin...

Night travel used to be sweet, from Onitsha to Kano and u enter Kano before 5am. Not until Nigeria happen to us now even our securities are not save

I do a lot of night travel especially with luxurious buses. It's usually a nice experience. But whether day or night it's just God. Afteralll, just 2 weeks ago, day time travelling buses were attacked by bandits

That's why I keep wondering that Ribadu made that senseless talk about our roads and highways being safer. It is worst now.
The crime rate is higher.
Bad guys are entering roads to attack innocent passengers.
The bad guys are leaving the wicked hopeless politicians that put us in this insecurity mess to attack innocent already suffering Nigerians.

It will never be well with APC government. So many years ago, one could travel day or night peacefully and arrive at one's destination Safe and sound. But nowadays you have to fast and pray and command your spirit to be as fearless as "I AM CHOOSEN" before you enter road to travel

I still see night travelling as the best means of travelling by road, especially if you dey go east or come back Lagos from the east

[/b]Sleep throughout the journey and wake up at your destination, you fit even dress up go work that same day[b]

But if you're the type that loves sightseeing, then night travel isn't for you

(Best buses I've boarded for night journey, ABC and GUO... Okeyson is only okay if you're boarding them to Enugu or Ebonyi... If Lagos to Imo, abort journey, else them go drop you for Onitsha)

Imagine coming to Lagos as a newbie and getting to Lagos at night, how you wan take navigate your way? But if you reach Lagos for morning, you go fit find your way to wherever you wan go... Funny enough, I've never had a negative incident in all my night journeys, but you see day own eh

Such a beautiful write up. You're an amazing writer. I particularly love the emphasis on the clean and cool air at that time. It's so satisfying to the lungs and the skin.

Ask Rubadu abi Rubadi NSA

GOVERNORR:
The road is crazy.. left Lagos last week for Abuja at night and on my way back 3 days after we were stopped by warning of robbery going on around same axis

Thank God for Journey mercy

Try travelling daytime. At least incase you need to run there'll be daylight to see where you're running to.

OneCandleAway:
Try travelling daytime. At least incase you need to run there'll be daylight to see where you're running to.

No guarantee even with daytime travelling

Personally I love night trip for long distance trip because it makes your body calm and everywhere will be very cool

It's quite unfortunate that insecurity has taken over everywhere across Nigeria

Ok

Most of my travel are urgent

Last time I traveled, I got a call 12pm and started moving immediately

OneCandleAway:
Try travelling daytime. At least incase you need to run there'll be daylight to see where you're running to.

May God help us

slaawomirr:
Damnnn niggar

The truth be say no matter what na road travel sweet pass

Na because of the insecurities.


The enjoyment you derived when using road for travel is second to non

Most of my travel from state to state I use road...even if I have money for flight I still use road

That sweet feeling of waking up in the morning going to the company bus station like God is good motor
The driver go first put gospel song for the beginning of the journey then later secular songs go take over..see gbedu...you go dey see landscape, villages, mountains, rivers and forests

My brother you spoke my mind. Everything!

You self get mind dey do night travels for this time in Nigeria?

May you not end up in bandits, kidnappers and arm robbers den.

Omogelle:
Beautiful write up. I was carried away. Night journey use to be the best for long distance and business men. Nigeria will be great again

Just read your fantasy now! I am just bewildered by the naivety of most Nigerians.....is it lack of critical thinking or just too much religion? I dunno.....but sister we need to fold our sleeves and get to work...any other thing is mere wishful thinking! We can start by creating state police!