Lagos to Onitsha with ease is a journalist’s account of 60 security stops encountered on a five-hour journey from Lagos to southeast.

Concerned by the increasing complaints about the pains of Nigerians plying the Lagos-Onitsha route, I decided to seize an opportunity on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 to find out the real situation.

For complete experience, I traveled with one of the transporters at Jibowu. After an excruciating traffic snarl along Redeemed Church corridor, we finally commenced the journey to Onitsha at 10:30am.

By the time we arrived at the Asaba end of the River Niger Bridge, I had counted 60 checkpoints. I was painstakingly taking notes and few shots. The checkpoints were manned at various points by soldiers, police, customs, SARS, FRSC or a combination.

Below are the locations of the checkpoints to guide your next trip from Lagos to Onitsha.

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:
  25. Ore 1 – Police
  26. Ore 2 – Customs and Police
  27. Ofosu – Army
  28. Ofosu 2 – Police
  29. Ofosu 3 – FRSC and Police
  30. Ugbogui Town – Police
  31. Okada – Customs and Police
  32. Okada 2 – Police
  33. Okada 3 – SARS
  34. Okada 4 – Police
  35. Okada 5 – Police
  36. Okada 6 – SARS
  37. Okada 7 – Army
  38. Okada 8 – SARS
  39. Okada 9 – SARS
  40. Okada 10 – Police
  41. Okada 11 – Police
  42. Okada 12 – Police
  43. Iwinosa – SARS
  44. Benin toll gate – Customs, FRSC, SARS
  45. Benin By-Pass – Police
  46. Benin By-Pass 2 – SARS
  47. Benin By-Pass 3 – Army
  48. Ugoneki – Police
  49. Ugoneki 2 – Police
  50. Abudu – Customs
  51. Abudu 2 – Army
  52. Omumu-Agbor – Army, FRSC, Police and Customs
  53. Agbor – Police
  54. Ekwuoma – Police
  55. Issele Uku – SARS
  56. Issele Uku 2 – Police
  57. Akwa Ukwu – Customs and Army
  58. Ogwashi – Customs
  59. Okpanam – Customs and Police
  60. Onitsha Bridge head – Mopol

You can imagine what will happen in the next two weeks when my brothers and sisters begin their Christmas migration.

Lagos to Onitsha with ease

Author

  • Chief Tony Onyima is an accomplished media and communication professional with considerable experience in journalism, public relations, and strategic management. He rose through the ranks in his journalism career to become the Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Company. He also contributed to public policy making, at the state level as Anambra Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, and at the Federal as member of the Governing Board of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    View all posts

Share this knowledge