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…As northerners face less than 10

Veteran media executive, Mr. Tony Onyima, has released a report on approximate number of checkpoints between Lagos and South East on the highway.

Whereas his report revealed not less than 60 checkpoints manned at different points by either Police, Army, Customs, NDLEA or other paramilitary bodies, another report on the same issue identified less than 10 checkpoints between Lagos and North Central region of Nigeria where cases of highway fears are more than.

Onyima in the report said “Concerned by the increasing complaints about the pains of Nigerians plying the Lagos-Onitsha route, I decided to seize an opportunity on Wednesday, November 27, 2019 to find out the real situation. For complete experience, I traveled with one of the transporters at Jibowu.

“After an excruciating traffic along Redeemed Church corridor, we finally commenced the journey to Onitsha at 10:30am. By the time we arrived the Niger Bridge, I had counted 60 checkpoints.

“I was painstakingly taking notes and few shots. These checkpoints were manned by either soldiers, police, customs, SARS, FRSC or a combination. Below are the checkpoints to make your trip to Onitsha so smooth:

LAGOS TO ORE:

1. Ilisan – Police checkpoint just in front of Babcock University, 2. Ilisan 2 – Another police check less than 300 meters after Babcock, 3. Ijebu Ode toll gate – Customs, 4. Ijebu Ife – Police, 5. Ijebu Itele – Customs, FRSC and Army, 6. Ijebu Itele 2 – Police and FRSC, 7. Ijebu Itele 3 – Police, 8. Ajebandele – Police, 9. Ajebandele 2 – Police, 10. Ajebandele 3 – Police and FRSC, 11. Ajebandele 4 – Army, Police, 12. Ajebandele 5; less than 100 meters – Police, 13. Ajebandele 6; less than 40 meters – Police, 14. Ajebandele 7 – Police, 15. Ajebandele 8 – Police, 16. Ajebandele 9 – Police, 17. Akinfosile – Police, 18. Omotosho – Army, 19. Omotosho 2 – Police, 20. Obatedo – Police, 21. Orilewo – Police, 22. Orilewo 2 – Customs, 23. Orilewo 3 – Police, 24. Orilewo 4 – Police

ORE TO BENIN:

1. Ore 1 – Police, 2. Ore 2 – Customs and Police, 3. Ofosu – Army, 4. Ofosu 2 – Police, 5. Ofosu 3 – FRSC and Police, 6. Ugbogui Town – Police, 7. Okada – Customs and Police, 8. Okada 2 – Police, 9. Okada 3 – SARS, 10. Okada 4 – Police, 11. Okada 5 – Police, 12. Okada 6 – SARS, 13. Okada 7 – Army, 14. Okada 8 – SARS, 15. Okada 9 – SARS, 16. Okada 10 – Police, 17. Okada 11 – Police, 18. Okada 12 – Police, 19. Iwinosa – SARS, 20. Benin toll gate – Customs, FRSC, SARS; 21. Benin By-Pass – Police, 22. Benin By-Pass 2 – SARS, 23. Benin By-Pass 3 – Army, 24. Ugoneki – Police, 25. Ugoneki 2 – Police, 26. Abudu – Customs, 27. Abudu 2 – Army, 28. Omumu-Agbor – Army, FRSC, Police and Customs; 29. Agbor – Police, 30. Ekwuoma – Police, 31. Issele Uku – SARS, 32. Issele Uku 2 – Police, 33. Akwa Ukwu – Customs and Army, 34. Ogwashi – Customs, 35. Okpanam – Customs and Police, 36. Onitsha Bridge head – Mopol.

However, on the number of verified checkpoints between Lagos and North Central State of Katsina, another report said not up to ten checkpoints are seen along the stretch far longer than Lagos to East. It noted that whereas available ones are mainly military checkpoints, presence of Customs and Police on the entire stretch from Lagos to Katsina, are negligible.