Motorists traveling the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway are living in fear again. Armed robbers have resumed operations on the highway after a period of relative calm, attacking vehicles and stripping passengers of their valuables at gunpoint.
The attacks have picked up over the past three weeks, with multiple incidents reported between Enugu and Abakaliki. Travelers told journalists they now move in convoys and avoid the road after sunset. Some have started using alternative routes, even though they take longer and cost more in fuel.
One commercial driver, Chisom Okorie, said robbers stopped his bus near Ngwo junction on Tuesday evening. "They came out with guns and machetes. They took money from all thirty passengers, phones, watches, everything," he said. "The police don't come here anymore. We are on our own."
Another motorist, Mrs. Blessing Nwankwo, described how robbers held up her family's car for forty-five minutes. "My children were crying. They pointed guns at us while they searched the vehicle," she said. "I have decided I will not use this road again unless I must. Even then, I will travel only in the day."
The expressway, which connects two major cities in Southeast Nigeria, has historically been a flashpoint for armed robbery. Improved security operations had reduced incidents significantly in the past eighteen months, but residents say the criminals have returned with fresh boldness. Locals blame the absence of visible police presence on the road.
Police in Enugu state have not issued any statement about the recent attacks. The state's police spokesperson could not be reached for comment. However, sources within the security agencies told journalists that limited patrol vehicles and fuel constraints have made it difficult to maintain constant presence on the expressway.
Transport unions operating on the route say they have submitted complaints to the state government and police command multiple times. The Enugu State Motor Parks Association said it plans to meet with the Commissioner of Police this week to demand urgent intervention.
State officials are expected to address the security situation at a stakeholder meeting scheduled for next Monday in Enugu.
