The sight is unsettling: trailers filled with goods, livestock, and precariously perched passengers — including women and children — navigating the bustling Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Bypass in Kaduna. These travelers, heading to various parts of the South, endure arduous journeys that can last up to two days, often risking their lives to save on transportation costs.
Many of these passengers, comprising mainly migrant workers, laborers, motorcyclists, beggars and food vendors, opt for this risky mode of transport because they will rather put their lives on the line than pay the fares charged by buses or smaller vehicles, which they consider ‘exorbitant’. These trucks, primarily meant for transporting goods like fruits, grains, and livestock, have become a dangerous alternative for those seeking cheaper travel options.
Tales from the road
Adamu Hassan, a local security guard in Kaduna, shared his harrowing experience traveling in open trucks.
“I have traveled several times from Kano to Benue State inside trucks carrying grains,” he recounted. “It’s never easy. Sometimes we are mixed with goods like beans and even women. During the rainy season, they cover us with tarpaulin along with the goods, making it unbearably hot inside.”
Also, Abubakar Muhammadu Garbu, a second-hand clothes seller at Kaduna’s Kasuwar Barci, said he recently joined a trailer traveling from Charanchi town in Katsina with traders heading to the southern part of Nigeria and paid only N1,500 to Kaduna.
According to him, it would cost N5,000 to transport himself in a Gulf vehicle from Charanchi to Kaduna. However, to save costs, he decided to travel by trailer.
Garbu further explained that it was cheaper to travel by trailer than by buses or Gulf cars because a journey that costs N20,000 in a tanker would only cost N5,000 by trailer.
“To tell you the truth, most of us travel in trailers or trucks to save money because we cannot afford to pay for buses or smaller cars. I recently paid N1,500 to travel from Charanchi town in Katsina State to Kaduna, even though I had to sit on top of bags of grains,” he said.
He emphasized that even when traveling in small vehicles, accidents could still happen, so they only pray for a safe journey without considering the dangers involved.
Similarly, Bello Idris, a provision seller, narrated his ordeal on an overloaded truck journey from Katsina to Niger State.
“The truck was so crowded that I feared for my life,” he said. “Each time the truck navigated sharp turns, it felt like we would fall off. We had to use clothes to protect ourselves from the cold during night journeys.”
Bello also recalled an incident where a fellow passenger narrowly escaped falling off the moving truck.
“He was dozing off, and the truck jerked suddenly. We had to grab him before he slipped off completely. It was terrifying,” he recounted.
Bello explained that despite the risks, many people continue to travel this way because of the harsh economic conditions.
“Most of us are just trying to survive. The high cost of living makes it difficult to afford safer travel options,” he said.
Drivers’ perspective
Tukur Adam, a tanker driver, explained why some drivers allow passengers to travel on top of their vehicles despite the risks.
“The passengers join us because they have no alternative. Traveling from Sokoto to Lagos in a regular vehicle costs around ₦40,000, but we charge just ₦7,000 for those who sit on top of the tankers,” he said.
Tukur admitted that while he tries to ensure safe practices, the risks are undeniable.
“I always tell passengers that I don’t travel at night and I don’t overspeed. But the truth is, even with those precautions, accidents can happen. It’s a dangerous situation,” he said.
He expressed concern over the increasing number of women and children among the passengers.
“It’s sad to see women and children subjected to this hardship. They often sit on sacks of goods, exposed to the harsh weather. It breaks my heart,” he said.
A passenger’s fearful experience
Aminu, a businessman, recounted his first and last experience traveling in an open truck from Shagamu in Ogun State to Kaduna.
“My friend convinced me to join the truck to save money, but I was terrified throughout the journey,” he said.
Aminu recalled how the truck swayed dangerously on the highway.
“I couldn’t continue with the journey. I alighted near Kwara State and joined another vehicle to Kaduna. I would never do it again,” he said.
It’s penny-wise, pound-foolish
Auwal Danladi, who shuttles regularly on the Kaduna-Expressway, said it is very common too see human beings being transported in the same vehicles with animals or goods.
He said “Travelling in open trucks is very risky and devoid of any form of comfort. Just few months back about 50 human beings travelling in the same vehicle with 50 cows died in a road accident in Niger State,.
“But these people will never stop. It is not for nothing that these passengers are called ‘rai banza’ in Hausa (meaning life’s worthless) because they continue to do it nonetheless.
“It is also very uncomfortable. My aunt once told me how a friend misled her into travelling in an open truck from Kano to Kaduna. They took off from Kwanar Dawaki and stood all through the journey that lasted almost four hours.
“A troublesome goat made her journey very difficult as he kept peeing on her legs but there was nothing she could do and had to endure the harrowing experience. She has since resolved never to travel in open truck again, no matter how cheap the fare will be”
Speaking further, Auwal said “Ironically, once there is accident, you find large amount of cash with some of these passengers Many of them end up losing their lives while trying to save money. So it is penny-wise, pound-foolish.”
Efforts to curb the trend
The Chairman of Mararraban Jos Tanker motor park Union, Comrade Yunusa Lawal Garau-Garau, highlighted efforts to address the problem.
“We have rules that ban taking more than three passengers in the front of a tanker and prohibit loading goods on top of fuel tankers,” he said.
However, he admitted that enforcing these rules has been challenging.
“Some drivers are very stubborn. They pick up passengers at unauthorized spots like Tashar Bagobiri near Mando Park. We try to stop them, but they often threaten to block the road if we insist,” he said.
Garau-Garau also revealed that the union imposes fines on drivers who violate the rules.
“We fine them and sometimes even suspend their operations. But the problem persists because passengers are willing to take the risk,” he added.
He suggested to the relevant authorities, especially the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to prevent trailers from parking around the Mando roundabout, as this would help reduce the problem since it is a major point where such vehicles stop to pick up passengers.
Authorities speak out
Kaduna State FRSC Sector Commander, Kabir Yusuf Nadabo, revealed that the problem peaked in early 2022, prompting the establishment of a special task force to tackle the issue.
“About 55.2% of crashes involved trailers carrying both goods and human beings. We partnered with the police, civil defense corps, and other agencies to drastically reduce the accidents,” Nadabo said.
Despite these efforts, challenges persist.
“Most of the crashes happen at night when our officers are not on the road, making it difficult to catch erring drivers. We are doing our best to reduce these dangerous practices,” he added.
Nadabo also emphasized the importance of collaboration with transport unions.
“We have engaged the leadership of the NURTW and trailer unions in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Birnin Kebbi, Kano, and Jigawa states to address this issue. The unions have been supportive, but some drivers still pick up passengers along the way,” he said.
He added that the union has even agreed that the Road Safety Corps should arrest any erring driver found carrying more than six passengers in their vehicles and fine them ₦100,000 for the violation.
Kabir Nadabo further explained that the Corps Marshal, Shehu Muhammad, has directed the sector commanders of Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto to visit all the loading points of these trailers to conduct a week-long sensitization exercise, which was carried out in collaboration with the union.
“Here in Kaduna, I went to Mararraban Jos motor park, Giwa, and Soba with pictorial evidence. The union said the main challenge they face is that drivers, after leaving the parks, usually pick up passengers at designated points, especially at Kakau, where they load passengers at night without the union’s knowledge,” he explained.
A call for action
The FRSC Sector Commander said the commission will continue to advocate for safer travel practices and urges passengers to avoid open trailers and trucks.
As economic hardship pushes more Nigerians toward dangerous travel options, the authorities must intensify efforts to enforce regulations and provide affordable transport alternatives.
The stories of these travelers highlight the urgent need for a collective response to ensure safer roads and protect lives.
