Amidst daunting security challenges and deplorable roads across the country, some Nigerians still prefer night journeys. TOPE SUNDAY writes.
Nigeria is currently bedevilled by internal security challenges, which according to the military authorities, are being addressed. However, the reported cases of armed robbery and accidents on the nation’s roads are not yet reduced due to the activities of the men of the underworld and bad roads. Despite this development, some Nigerians still opt to travel by road at night. To some of them, it is cool and a bit more comfortable.
Transport fare is considered by some Nigerians while embarking on journeys. In their arguments, travelling at night is more affordable and time-saving. To others, they can’t risk the rigour of travelling in the day time because of the harsh weather.
Road mishaps
According to the road transport data (Q3 2020) report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 3,066 road crashes occurred in the third quarter of 2020.
A breakdown of the data shows that speed violation is reported as the major cause of road crashes in Q3 2020 and it accounted for 57.26% of the total road crashes reported; while wrongful overtaking followed closely as it accounted for 7.11% of the total road crashes recorded.
While dangerous overtaking recorded the least of the total road crashes reported,
a total of 1,236 Nigerians got killed in the road traffic crashes recorded in Q3 2020. Out of the total Nigerians that got killed, 1,176 are adults representing 95% of the figure while the remaining 60 Nigerians are children representing 5%. 976 male Nigerians, representing 79%, got killed in road crashes in Q3 2020 while 200 female Nigerians, representing 16% got killed.
Also, the report notes that a total of 4,893 vehicles were involved in road traffic crashes in Q3 2020. Car is reported to be the major type of vehicle involved in road crashes and it accounted for 30.30% of the vehicles involved in road crashes reported followed by Motorcycle and Minibus as they both accounted for 22.60% and 15.50%, respectively.
Data on the category of vehicles involved in road crashes in Q3 2020 reflected that 61% of vehicles are commercial (2,987), 37.80% are private (1,849) and 1.10% are government with 56 vehicles involved.
The report did not state categorically whether those accidents were recorded at nights or daytimes. Also, as at the time of filing this report, the report on the road crashes in 2021 was not handy.
Some sections of the country’s roads are not in good condition, and this reporter who recently embarked on a tour of Lagos state from Abuja noticed that to travel from the nation’s seat of power to the Centre of Excellence is terrible. Some sections of the roads in Okene/Kabba are not in good condition, while Akure-Owo expressway, Akure-Ado Ekiti Road and Ilesha-Ibadan axis of the road are in deplorable conditions.
This development is most times responsible for the higher rate of kidnapping and robbery on the route.
Preferences
Despite the aforementioned challenges, Nigerians still embark on night journeys in droves. Our reporters who visited Utako Park in Abuja and Wazobia Park in Gbagbwalada in the FCT; Oyingbo-Iddo and Jibowu parks in Lagos, respectively, observed that passengers throng the stations in droves at night to embark on journeys.
Recently, travelling from Abuja to Lagos, this reporter observed that businessmen and women, students, and civil servants who have appointments to ‘catch up’ prefer ‘Goodnight Abuja/Good morning Lagos or Goodnight Lagos/good morning Abuja.’
Also, at Wazobia park in Gbagbawalada, a visit at night revealed that the park is usually a beehive of activities.
Speaking with Blueprint Weekend, while enroute Lagos, a businessman, Nnamdi Chris, said he prefers to travel at nights because it is “economically more viable and time-saving.”
“I am a businessman, I am into clothing and I get my goods from Lagos. However, I like travelling at night because it is economically viable and saves time. If I take off from Abuja at night, I will be in Lagos in the morning. On arrival in Lagos, I will buy my goods and return to the park at Jibowu to catch a night bus back to Abuja.
“I enjoy my night travels because with the luxury bus, I am very comfortable and also, throughout the night, I will sleep off, and have the comfort I deserve. Lagos to Abuja is a long journey and should not be plied in the daytime,” he said.
Another passenger, Hakeem Abdul, who said his family stays in Lagos, stressed that he travels at nights to avoid the rigours associated with travelling in the daytime, adding that there is also the harsh weather in the daytime to consider.
“Anytime I can’t afford a flight to Lagos, I embark on night journeys because it is less rigorous and the luxury buses are very comfortable. So, I prefer night journeys to the daytime,’” Abdul said.
But when asked about the security risk and bad roads, he said: “Well, if I must admit, there are security challenges in the country. But despite that, are people not traveling even in the daytime? Are there no road crashes in the daytime due to our bad roads? So, if all these happen to those who travel in the daytime, why can’t we just put our trust in God?”
However, another passenger, Oladimeji Akin, who told Blueprint Weekend that night trips are time-saving, arguing that from Lagos to Abuja, the passenger will not feel the pains of travelling if he does so at night.
“With luxury buses, travelling at night is the best because you will not experience the discomfort associated with daytime travels,” Akin said.
But a Kano resident, Kabir Usman, who boarded a night bus at Ogere in Ogun state, said he decided to travel at night because it is cheaper.
He said from Ogere to Kano usually costs him N5, 000, adding that a daytime journey would have gulp N13, 000 to N14, 000.
Blueprint Weekend reports that travelling from Abuja to Lagos at a luxury bus terminal costs N10, 500, while those who board it at night at Wazobia Park in Gbwagwalada pay between N7, 500 and N8, 000.
