Residents, commercial vehicle drivers and transport operators have raised the alarm over the worsening condition of the Dandume-Funtua-Bakori-Malumfashi- Gidan Mutum Daya-federal highway, saying years of neglect and persistent insecurity have turned one of the North-West’ busiest transport corridors into a deathtrap.
The approximately 175-kilometre highway links Katsina State with Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states and serves as a major route for passengers, agricultural produce and commercial goods.
Findings by Weekend Trust show that deep potholes, failed sections, accident-prone spots and recurring bandit attacks have continued to endanger commuters while disrupting economic activities across the region.
Commercial drivers said travelling on the highway had become increasingly dangerous as motorists contend with kidnapping, armed robbery, fatal crashes and mounting vehicle maintenance costs.
A commercial driver based in Funtua, Malam Abubakar Tarzana, described the highway as one of the most dangerous in Katsina State.
‘This road has become a deathtrap. Apart from its terrible condition, insecurity has made the situation even worse. Every journey along this highway is a gamble with one’s life,’ he told Weekend Trust.
He identified the Dandume-Funtua, Bakori-Malumfashi and Malumfashi-Dayi sections as some of the worst stretches, saying commuters are frequently exposed to attacks by armed bandits while struggling through damaged portions of the road.
‘There are days you hardly hear that the road is peaceful. Either there is an attack by bandits or a fatal accident caused by the terrible state of the road,’ he said.
According to Tarzana, insecurity around Marabar Musawa, Rimaye and Gidan Mutum Daya has displaced many families and severely affected farming and commercial activities.
‘Women and children are leaving their communities almost every day in search of safety because of repeated attacks. Many people have abandoned their farms and businesses, while others have relocated completely,’ he also said.
He added that the deteriorating condition of the highway had significantly increased vehicle maintenance cost and discouraged many transport operators from using the route.
Tarzana appealed to the federal government to urgently reconstruct the highway and strengthen security operations, saying improved road infrastructure would restore confidence among motorists, reduce travel time and stimulate economic activities.
A community leader in Malumfashi Local Government Area, Abdul’aziz Abdul’aziz, said criminal groups had continued to exploit the poor condition of the highway to attack travellers and neighbouring communities.
According to him, the Malumfashi-Yammama-Dayi stretch has become a regular crossing point for armed bandits.
‘The Malumfashi-Yammama-Dayi road remains a major security concern. Bandits often use this corridor to move into neighbouring communities; and in many cases, innocent commuters become victims while travelling,’ he said.
Although he acknowledged the efforts of security agencies and the Katsina State Government in tackling insecurity, Abdul’aziz said more needed to be done to secure the strategic highway.
He said, ‘We appreciate the sacrifices being made by security personnel and the support of the Katsina State Government. But there is still a need to improve intelligence gathering, intensify patrols and establish more stop-and-search points if these roads are to become truly safe.’
He described Yammama bridge as one of the most dangerous black spots on the highway, saying its deteriorating condition has contributed to frequent accidents and heightened security concerns.
‘Hardly a week passes without an accident there. The potholes are so deep that drivers are forced to leave their lanes; and in many cases, they collide with oncoming vehicles,’ he said.
Abdul’aziz also criticised the practice of excavating sand from road shoulders to fill potholes, warning that it had created dangerous depressions capable of causing additional crashes.
‘When drivers try to manoeuvre through those areas while avoiding potholes, they risk losing control or crashing into oncoming vehicles,’ he added.
He further argued that the deplorable condition of the highway had become a security challenge because damaged sections slow traffic and make it easier for criminals to ambush travellers.
He added, ‘A good road would improve surveillance, security patrols and emergency response. Fixing this highway will save lives, reduce accidents and make it more difficult for criminals to operate freely in the area.’
A resident of Karfi village in Malumfashi Local Government Area, Babangida Karfi, said a notorious accident black spot near Government Secondary School, Karfi, had claimed numerous lives over the years without any permanent government’s intervention.
According to him, the failed section of the highway has existed for decades, forcing motorists into dangerous manoeuvres that frequently result in fatal crashes.
‘The black spot near Government Secondary School, Karfi, has existed for decades. We have lost many lives and valuable property there, yet no permanent rehabilitation has been carried out. Every rainy season and even during the dry season, motorists continue to suffer while families keep losing their loved ones,’ he noted.
Karfi also identified the sharp bend between Layin Minister in Malumfashi and Gangaren Makurdi in neighbouring Bakori Local Government Area as another accident-prone section of the highway.
He said the combination of a dangerous bend and a deteriorating road surface had become a major threat to motorists travelling along the strategic corridor.
‘The bend between Layin Minister and Gangaren Makurdi has become another accident point. Drivers approaching that section struggle to control their vehicles because of the failed portions of the road; and crashes occur regularly,’ he observed.
Beyond the frequent crashes, Karfi alleged that armed bandits often exploit the poor condition of the road around the Layin Minister axis to target travellers.
‘Bandits usually cross through the Layin Minister area before attacking motorists. There have been several incidents where travellers were robbed or abducted after slowing down on the damaged portions of the road. The fear among road users is real,’ he added.
Another resident and civil servant, Abdullahi Usman, said the deteriorating security situation and poor condition of the highway had drastically altered the movement of residents.
He said many civil servants working outside their hometowns avoided travelling home on weekends because of the risks associated with the route.
‘Many civil servants and residents of these communities could no longer travel home during weekends as they used to. People now think twice before embarking on the journey because of persistent insecurity and the deplorable condition of the road,’ he said.
He said rehabilitating the highway would restore confidence among commuters and stimulate economic activities across the affected communities.
‘This road is vital to the economy of Katsina State and the North-West. Reconstructing it and improving security will save lives, encourage people to travel again and revive economic activities across the communities it serves,’ he added.
For Yakubu Musa, a commercial driver who has plied the Funtua-Dandume route for several years, every journey has become a test of courage.
He told Weekend Trust that apart from constant vehicle breakdown caused by deep potholes and failed sections, the threat of attacks by armed bandits has made the job increasingly difficult.
He said: ‘The road is in a terrible condition. Every trip is a risk because you don’t know whether you would return home safely. Our vehicles develop faults almost every week because of the bad road. Many drivers have abandoned the route,’ he said.
Musa said the dangers extended beyond damaged infrastructure, recalling colleagues who lost their lives while trying to earn a living.
‘I personally know many commercial drivers who lost their lives over the last two to three years. Some died in accidents caused by the bad road, while others were killed during bandits’ attacks along this route. It is painful because they left wives and children behind,’ he noted.
But despite the dangers, he said commercial driving remained his only means of livelihood.
‘This is the only business I know. It is what I depend on to pay my children’s school fees, take care of my family’s health needs and provide food for my household. If I stop driving, I have no other means of survival,’ he said.
He appealed to the federal government to urgently reconstruct the highway and strengthen security patrols to protect motorists and restore confidence along the corridor.
An official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described the highway as one of the most dangerous routes for commercial transport operators in the North-West.
According to him, years of neglect have left the road riddled with potholes and failed sections, increasing the risk of fatal crashes while inflicting huge financial losses on transport operators.
‘We have lost hundreds of passengers and drivers over the years on this highway. The road has deteriorated beyond imagination.
Every trip has become a risk because motorists constantly struggle to avoid potholes and failed sections. Many families have lost their breadwinners, while countless people now live with permanent disabilities after surviving these crashes,’ he lamented.
He added that transport fares had continued to rise as operators struggle with mounting vehicle maintenance costs.
‘This road is not only killing people, it is destroying vehicles and livelihoods. Transport fares keep increasing because of constant repairs, while traders lose goods whenever accidents occur. The economic losses are enormous,’ he noted.
The union official urged the federal government to fast-track the rehabilitation of the Dandume-Funtua-Bakori-Malumfashi-Dayi-Gidan Mutum Daya highway, saying the project would save lives, reduce transportation cost and improve economic activities across Katsina State and the wider North-West.
A security analyst and public affairs commentator, Abubakar Ibrahim, said that while the recent deployment of additional security personnel had improved confidence among residents and farmers, rehabilitation of strategic highways should complement ongoing military operations.
‘The increased deployment of security personnel is already yielding positive results. Communities that previously lived in fear are beginning to regain confidence, and many farmers are gradually returning to their farmlands because they now see a stronger security presence,’ he said.
He also said deteriorating roads had become a security challenge because motorists were forced to slow down at failed sections, making them vulnerable to attacks.
‘Security operations alone cannot solve the problem. We must also fix our roads because bad roads have become a security risk on their own. When vehicles are compelled to reduce speed because of potholes and failed sections, criminal elements exploit the situation,’ Ibrahim added.
He urged both the federal government and the Katsina State Government to treat road rehabilitation as an integral part of efforts to combat insecurity.
‘Once roads are reconstructed, security agencies can respond more quickly to emergencies, while residents and businesses can move freely without unnecessary delays and fear,’ he said.
The concerns were echoed by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which identified deteriorating highways as one of the major factors contributing to fatal road crashes in Katsina State.
The FRSC public education officer in the state, Deputy Route Commander Shamsuddeen Babajo listed the Dandume-Funtua-Bakori-Malumfashi corridor among the state’s most critical highways requiring urgent intervention.
‘Road safety is a shared responsibility. While motorists must obey traffic regulations and drive responsibly, the government also has a critical obligation to rehabilitate deteriorating roads. Reconstructing these highways will significantly reduce crashes, protect lives and improve the movement of people and goods,’ Babajo said.
Residents, transport operators and community leaders unanimously called on the federal government to urgently rehabilitate the Dandume-Funtua-Bakori-Malumfashi-Dayi-Gidan Mutum Daya federal highway, describing the project as essential not only for reducing accidents and improving security but also for restoring economic activities across Katsina State and the North-West.
They said restoring the strategic corridor would facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, reduce transport costs, improve emergency response and deny criminal groups the opportunity to exploit failed sections of the road to attack unsuspecting travellers.
For many commercial drivers, however, the crisis is not only about bad roads or insecurity but also about survival.
The chairman of Funtua Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdulmutallib Sulaiman Goya, acknowledged that the federal highway is in a deplorable condition, describing its rehabilitation as a matter of urgent public importance.
He, however, disclosed that the Katsina State Government under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda had concluded discussions with the relevant federal authorities on the reconstruction of the road, and expressed optimism that work would commence once the necessary approvals are completed.
He also noted that the North West Development Commission was considering rehabilitating the road as part of efforts to address the worsening condition of the highway.
Goya added that while the road falls under the federal government’s responsibility, the Katsina State Government was making every effort to facilitate immediate palliative repairs to ease the hardship faced by motorists and commuters.
The council chairman stressed that the highway is a major economic corridor linking Katsina with several northern states, noting that traders from Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, as well as Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states, relied on the route daily to transport goods to and from Kano through the Funtua axis.
He said the strategic importance of Funtua as the commercial hub of the southern senatorial district underscored the need for urgent intervention, renewing his appeal to the federal government to prioritise the rehabilitation of highway to safeguard lives, improve security and stimulate economic activities across the region
Reacting to the development, the federal comptroller of works in Katsina State, M.I. Macinja, an engineer, said the federal government had commenced the rehabilitation of critical sections of the Gidan Mutum Daya-Malumfashi federal highway and awarded an emergency repair contract for the most deteriorated sections of the Funtua-Dandume road.
Macinja disclosed this while responding to growing public concerns over the deplorable condition of the strategic highways linking several communities in Katsina State with the neighbouring Kaduna State.
According to him, the ongoing rehabilitation of the Gidan Mutum Daya-Malumfashi road forms part of a major federal road project that begins from Basawa and Hunkuyi in Zaria, passes through Marabar Dabai in Danja and extends to Kafur before terminating in Malumfashi.
He said the project had been divided into three phases. Phase one covers the Basawa-Hunkuyi to Marabar Dabai section while phase two stretches from Marabar Dabai through Kafur to Malumfashi. He added that the Malumfashi-Gidan Mutum Daya section constitutes phase three of the project.
He also said the phased rehabilitation was designed to restore the road corridor, improve safety for motorists, facilitate the movement of people and goods and boost economic activities along the route.
‘The rehabilitation contract for the Gidan Mutum Daya-Malumfashi road is ongoing. The project commenced from Basawa-Hunkuyi in Zaria through Marabar Dabai in Danja, straight to Kafur and Malumfashi by Mother Cat Construction. Work is progressing and forms part of federal government’s efforts to improve the condition of our road infrastructure,’ Macinja said.
He further revealed that the federal government had awarded an emergency rehabilitation contract covering about 11 kilometres out of the badly damaged Funtua-Dandume highway, one of the state’s busiest transport corridors used daily by commuters, commercial drivers and traders travelling between Katsina and Kaduna states.
‘An emergency rehabilitation contract covering approximately 11 kilometres of the Funtua-Dandume road has already been awarded to AFDIN Construction Company. This intervention is intended to address the most critical failed sections and ease the hardship currently experienced by road users,’ he added.
Macinja also acknowledged the deteriorating condition of the remaining sections of the Malumfashi-Funtua highway, assuring residents that the federal government is fully aware of the challenges confronting motorists.
He said the road had already been captured under the federal government’s procurement process, and expressed optimism that the rehabilitation contract would be awarded once the necessary administrative procedures are completed.
‘We are aware that the Malumfashi-Funtua road has deteriorated considerably. The project is presently under procurement, and we are hopeful that it would be awarded in due course,’ he said.
Appealing for patience and understanding, the federal comptroller assured residents, transport operators and other road users that the federal government remained committed to rehabilitating critical road infrastructure despite prevailing financial constraints.
‘We appeal to members of the public to remain patient. The government is doing everything possible within the available resources to execute projects that will improve the lives of citizens. These interventions are being carried out in phases; and more roads will receive attention as funds become available,’ Macinja said.