ASABA: Former presidential aspirant and renowned economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has strongly criticised what he described as crude police extortion and poor road conditions following a frustrating journey from Lagos to Asaba.
Utomi revealed that a trip which should normally take a few hours ended up lasting about 15 hours, despite the vehicle experiencing no breakdowns. According to him, the car departed Lagos at 5am and only arrived in Asaba after 8pm.
Sharing his experience on X, Utomi said the journey to Benin City took just over three hours a distance he recalled covering in the same time back in the 1980s. However, the major ordeal began thereafter, as it reportedly took six additional hours to navigate Benin and its environs.
He attributed the delay to terrible road conditions, community protests over electricity supply, and repeated encounters with police officers allegedly demanding bribes.
Utomi lamented that the extortion attempts were not even subtle, citing instances where officers questioned why a vehicle with a Lagos license plate was in Edo State. He noted that many motorists reportedly paid money just to move on, only to end up stuck again due to impassable roads.
Describing the experience as a sad reflection of Nigeria’s current realities, Utomi said the situation turned what should have been a routine journey into a distressing ordeal for road users.
The post has since sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians echoing similar experiences on the country’s highways.
