Путешественники жалуются на задержки из-за множественных проверок на трассе Лагос-Ибадан

Four years after a wave of kidnappings and a deadly shoot-out between security operatives and suspected kidnappers around the Dominion University axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, motorists travelling through the route are still encountering multiple security checks, with some road users alleging that the stops now cause unnecessary delays and expose travellers to additional risks. A journey through the route by our correspondent on Monday, August 24, 2026, showed security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency manning two separate checkpoints located within close proximity of each other along the expressway. At one of the checkpoints shortly after Dominion University, vehicles were channelled into a single lane using logs of wood, condemned tyres and other makeshift barricades to restrict movement. Police officers attended to vehicles one after another, while other security personnel were stationed at different points around the road. Two private cars—a Toyota Venza and a Toyota Camry—were seen parked at the checkpoint, with their occupants speaking with security personnel. Two buses were also stopped, with passengers asked to alight as their luggage was removed and searched. The experience was reminiscent of what commuters endured on the expressway during the height of the kidnapping crisis in 2022, when security agencies intensified their presence along the route in response to repeated attacks on motorists and passengers. Kidnapping hotspot turns security corridor The heavy security presence around the Dominion University axis did not emerge in a vacuum. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway became a major security concern in 2022 following a series of kidnappings and attacks at different sections of the highway. On January 7 of that year, a commercial driver, Oluwatosin Aruwajoye, was killed while five passengers were abducted around the Onigaari axis. The abductors later demanded N30m in ransom. A few days later, seven wedding guests were abducted around the Isara-Remo end of the expressway after the vehicle conveying them developed a fault. Other incidents and reports of attempted abductions heightened anxiety among motorists and commuters using the 127.6-kilometre expressway. The security crisis reached another peak in October 2022. On October 28, the Oyo State Police Command said it received information about sporadic gunshots around the Dominion University end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. According to the command, the Divisional Police Officer attached to the Toll-Gate Division led anti-crime patrol operatives, tactical teams, Police Mobile Force personnel and local hunters to the area. One police officer was killed and another injured during the response. The police also said ammunition shells and four abandoned vehicles were recovered from the scene. Reports at the time indicated that travellers had been attacked and abducted, although the police initially described the incident as an “abduction scenario” and said investigations were ongoing. The incident intensified calls for stronger security measures along the highway. The PUNCH report published in January 2023 documented increased security checks along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The report said security agents conducted checks before Ogere, around Alapako Bridge and again after Onigaari, before Dominion University. At the latter checkpoint, the correspondent reportedly spent about 20 minutes before the vehicle was cleared. The security concerns were also acknowledged by Dominion University’s Chancellor, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun, in November 2022. Speaking during a press briefing at the university, Adelakun said the police were coordinating universities in the area towards establishing a central police post to serve Dominion University, Precious Cornerstone University, Technical University and Lead City University. He said the development had become urgent due to the prevailing security situation, adding that the area already had several layers of security, including regular police officers, university security personnel, the Special Protection Unit and local hunters. Four years on But on Monday, August 24, 2026, the security presence remained visible along the route. Our correspondent arrived at Berger, Lagos, at about 11:28am and later boarded a commercial cab heading to Ibadan. The vehicle left Lagos at about 12:10pm with seven passengers. For much of the journey between Berger and the Ogere axis, no checkpoint was encountered. The first major stop observed by the correspondent came shortly after Dominion University. As vehicles approached the checkpoint, they were channelled into a single lane. A police officer attended to vehicles one after another, while other security personnel, including Customs and road safety officials, remained stationed around the area. The cab carrying our correspondent joined the queue at about 1:58pm. It reached the police officer’s position and was cleared at about 2:11pm. The driver, who identified himself as Saheed, was seen stretching his hand towards the police officer before the vehicle was allowed to proceed. Asked what he had given the officer, Saheed replied, “It’s N500.” He said the payment was necessary to avoid further delays, alleging that similar payments were sometimes demanded by other security agencies along the route. “It is normal. If not, they will delay us. In fact, if I had carried a Tokunbo tyre, I would have stopped to meet the Customs too. Their own is N1,000 per tyre,” he said. Saheed added that motorists who refused to make such payments risked being delayed or subjected to further checks. “If you want to be delayed, don’t pay. All of you [passengers] will be dropped and my vehicle will be towed to their office,” he alleged. Another checkpoint, another stop The journey did not end with the first security check. As the vehicle approached the Guru Maraji axis, another set of security personnel was seen operating a similar roadblock. Police, FRSC and NDLEA personnel were observed around the area, where buses and private cars were stopped and searched. Although traffic was relatively light at the time, the driver was pulled over and got down to speak with a police officer. “It’s not all the time that we give them. I just went to meet him that I don’t have today,” the driver told our correspondent. For motorists who regularly use the highway, such stops have become a familiar part of the journey. A driver, Ahmed Sherif, said the checks could substantially increase travel time. “They are always delaying our vehicles. They can delay a vehicle for up to 40 minutes and later release the vehicle without seeing anything. They would stop you, bring all the passengers down and check people’s bags. Sometimes they would tell the drivers to leave the passengers,” he said. Another driver, who identified himself as Ola, alleged that motorists were sometimes compelled to give money to police officers to avoid prolonged delays. “The policemen will collect money from us, the driver. Sometimes if you don’t have it, they will tell you to park and delay you. You will have no option but to give to them,” he alleged. For passengers, the repeated stops are an unwelcome interruption to an already stressful journey. A passenger, Wunmi Adebayo, said, “The delay is too much. There should be something that will be done to this roadblock.” Another passenger, Lekan, questioned the effectiveness of repeatedly stopping vehicles. “They can’t check all vehicles. Just causing unnecessary delay,” he said. Checks are intelligence-led – Police Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, the Oyo State Police Command defended the stop-and-search operations, describing them as part of its security strategy. The command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, said intelligence-led stop-and-search operations remained an important component of the Police’s proactive approach to protecting lives and property. “Intelligence-led stop and search remain part of the cornerstone of the Nigerian Police Force proactive strategy in ensuring safety of lives and properties,” he said. According to him, the Police periodically review the locations where roadblocks are mounted, taking into consideration their impact on citizens and the wider security architecture of the area. He also appealed to residents to continue supporting the Police by providing useful information. On allegations of extortion, Ayanlade urged anyone with evidence against a police officer to report the matter to the command. He said the police had mechanisms for monitoring the conduct of its personnel and ensuring that officers did not abuse their uniforms or violate citizens’ rights. The police’s response, however, raises another question for road users: if checkpoint locations are periodically reviewed, could the spacing and coordination of the current security stops also be reassessed to reduce unnecessary delays without compromising security? Guru Maharaj Ji crash-prone area — FRSC On its part, the Oyo State FRSC spokesperson, Oluwasola Busayo, said different locations along the highway had peculiar security and road-safety challenges, with some areas classified as blackspots because of frequent crashes. “If you look at the Guru Maraji axis, it is an area where there are usually crashes. I believe that is the major reason they are there. Almost on a daily basis in that part, we usually rescue accident victims in that axis,” Busayo said. Busayo, however, suggested that the various agencies would not ordinarily operate at exactly the same point. “But from experience, I don’t believe they will be at the same point; they will definitely give themselves a gap,” she said.