From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Most highways in Nigeria have become death traps either as a result of the deplorable state of the roads that leads to fatal accidents or the activities of criminal elements that often visit mayhem on passengers plying the roads.
This is true of the roads in Taraba State, especially some of them in the southern part of the state, which has become notorious for vices, accidents and deaths.
On August 12, 2024, residents of Takum Local Government woke up to the gruesome murder of six persons who were travelling from Takum to Wukari on the Takum-Wukari Road. Two weeks earlier, the Chief of Chanchagi, in Takum LG, was killed alongside his son on the same road while they were returning from a function in Wukari. The scary situation has resulted in a state of fear and apprehension for users of the road.
Vincent Ikyaghkwayan, who used the road recently, narrated his ordeal: “I used to supply drinks to villages and that road was my regular route.
“I would make supply in Wukari and take the road to Takum and return the same way. I usually heard stories of armed robberies and kidnappings on the road but never experienced any of them, until on that fateful day.
“As usual, I went and made my supply to Takum. I was on my way back when I came across what I thought was a checkpoint. Unknown to me, it was armed robbers that were operating in broad daylight. By the time I realised what was happening, I was already being dragged from my truck with several guns pointing at me.
“They took all the money I made from sales, removed the remaining drinks and collected my phones. They even removed my wristwatch. Some of them were saying that they should waste me. But one of them said since I cooperated very well, I should be allowed to leave.
“When I got into the truck, I couldn’t start it again. I was so scared I thought I would be hit by a bullet any moment. Eventually, they helped me push the truck until it started and I left. I thought that was it, I never knew the worse part was yet to come.
“A few kilometres ahead, I met another gang who were also operating that early evening. They caught another vehicle and were searching the passengers before I ran into them. I told them I had no money because their colleagues had already taken all the money on me.
“I don’t know if it was the lack of money on me that angered them the most or the fact that I allowed another gang to take the money before getting to them. All I know is that I was beaten nearly to a coma. When they were tired of beating me, they turned to the people from the other vehicle and all of us got the beating of our lives that day.
“At some point, one of them said they should just shoot us and go. Another suggested that we should be kidnapped for ransom. Till date, I don’t know what made them to change their minds and hurriedly leave the scene as we scampered for safety.
“That was the worst day of my life. I spent three days in the hospital in Wukari before I returned to Jalingo, with a vow never to ply that road again.”
Wukari-Takum Road has a history of unpleasant experiences. Apart from robberies, most of which go unreported, several persons have lost huge sums of money to kidnappers who, most times, block the road in broad daylight and kidnap people at random for ransom.
A victim told Daily Sun: “It was in July last year, I was on my way to check my melon farm, when I was ambushed by these heavily armed boys. None of them was up to 30 years or even 25, if I guess correctly.
“They shot at one of my tyres when they noticed that I was not ready to stop. My car cornered and finally halted in a nearby bush. They immediately launched an attack on me, beating me with everything they had.
“They damaged my car. They took me on a motorcycle while some of them took my car. That was the end of the car till date. They called my wife and told her to send money immediately or they would kill me.
“After several weeks of extorting my family, they eventually released me. It was not a funny experience. It was also worrisome because most of the boys were of the age they should ordinarily be in school. Instead, you see them operating in their camps, deep in the bush, as if they were well established warlords.
“They ruined my life. Even medically, I am not the same again after the beating that I got from them. Besides that, the trauma has refused to go away. Any little noise startles me and brings back the entire experience again. I also have nightmares constantly.”
Wukari-Takum Road is not the only horrible road in the state. What about the Wukari-Jalingo Trunk A Road? This is a major road linking the North to the South through Benue State. It has also become another death trap. Some of its bad spots are Gidan Idi, Byepi and Wukari Yam Market area.
Investigations revealed that the ethnic crisis between Jukun and Tiv in the state is often taking to the main road in these spots, affecting travellers plying the road. Often these travellers are stopped and those who are of the contending tribes are removed from the vehicles and brutality murdered or harmed if they are lucky.
Vernumbe Sunday lost his brother in 2022. He told Daily Sun: “That road is a scary place to ply once the Tiv-Jukun crisis starts. My brother, Igbawase was murdered by Jukun militias. Till date, we did not even see his corpse to bury. He loaded yam tubers from Danacha and was heading back to Zaki Biam, when they stopped him and killed him. His only sin was that he was a Tiv.”
Another dangerous road is Bali-Takum Road, especially between Mararaba and Takum town. Activities of kidnappers and armed robbers who do not hesitate to kill drivers who refuse to stop have made the road a very dangerous option.
Takum-Ussa, Takum-Katsina Ala and Yerima-Gasso roads in Gassol LG are all dangerous paths to travel. They play host to kidnappers and other forms of criminals that steal from passengers and travellers.
Idris Bororo, a driver who conveys passengers to Gassol, said: “Honestly, it is not easy loading passengers to Gassol, especially between Yerima and Gassol town itself.
“There was a time I loaded from Gassol to Jalingo around 8pm. Less than 10 minutes after we left the park, they stopped us as if it was a normal checkpoint. My only luck was that I was conscious of their activities.
“As soon I noticed they were the ones, I decided that it was better they kill us all. Since the car was running and still on gear one, I just fired up and revved away. They started shooting at us but could not get my tyre. They broke my back windshield but I was able to escape with all my passengers safely to Jalingo.”
Commissioner of Police, David Iloyonomon, said: “The command is working with other sister agencies to ensure the safety of our roads and indeed, every part of the state.
“We are aware of the major flashpoints. We would soon dislodge them completely. There is no room for criminal elements in the state.”
