Pedestrian bridges: Why commuters choose deadly route
Across major Nigerian cities, pedestrian bridges are essential safety points on the ever-growing busy highways, yet their usage varies widely. While many adults continue to take risky shortcuts across major highways, school pupils and students are the most consistent users of these structures. From Kano to Abuja, Lagos and Maiduguri, Weekend Trust spotlights how and […]
Across major Nigerian cities, pedestrian bridges are essential safety points on the ever-growing busy highways, yet their usage varies widely. While many adults continue to take risky shortcuts across major highways, school pupils and students are the most consistent users of these structures. From Kano to Abuja, Lagos and Maiduguri, Weekend Trust spotlights how and why pedestrians choose to abandon bridges
Research shows that despite the presence of pedestrian bridges across Nigeria, many Nigerians abandon them for the highways instead. Reports show that many Nigerians have continued to die on the highways while crossing them. Stories abound of commuters being knocked down by hit and run drivers. Weekend Trust looked at the situation in some part of the country.
Pupils as major users in Kano
Many people in Kano use pedestrian bridges, thanks to the metal barriers erected to separate the road sides. Oftentimes, residents choose not to use the pedestrian bridges, throwing safety to the winds and exposing themselves to dangers and associated risks.
Suleiman Bala, a staff of the Saadatu Rimi College of Education Kano, said students and other road users regularly made use of the pedestrian bridge built in front of the college on the Kano-Zaria highway.
Bala said other road users had no option but to use the bridge because of the metal barriers erected to ensure usage. Students of the college, he said, were cautious, and therefore, use the bridge willingly.
“In the past we lost some students while crossing the busy highway. Commercial drivers plying the highway can be reckless in their quest to convey passengers to their destinations. For safety reasons, the pedestrian bridge was built and our students and staff use it regularly. I use the bridge anytime I am coming to school,” he said.
Bala also noted that the frequent use of the bridge by students ensured that users did not abuse the infrastructure by turning it to an open defecation site as they do elsewhere. He said that users, especially female students, felt secure using the bridge during the day without fear of molestation or attack.
Another pedestrian bridge near Rumfa College, Kano, along BUK road, is not properly utilised by residents owing to the ongoing Kofar Danagundi flyover project.
Hamisu Musa, a resident of Indabawa, said students of Rumfa College, Government Secondary School, Sabuwar Kofa, may have to use the bridge once the flyover project is completed and commissioned, as the road would be busy with speeding vehicles.
“Anywhere you see a pedestrian bridge close to a school, the students/pupils make good use of it. The reason that particular bridge is not properly utilised for now is obviously because motorists avoid the road because of the ongoing construction work at the Danagundi flyover. But I can tell that when that is over, residents and students/pupils will certainly use it.
It is a different story at the Kurna Asabe pedestrian bridge, where pupils in their hundreds cross to Gobirawa Primary School.
Sadiq Abubakar, a resident, said school pupils regularly used the bridge, located on the ever-busy Kano-Katsina road. He said that owing to how busy the bridge has become, some second hand clothes traders had taken over part of it to sell their wares to passersby.
“People are using the bridge (at Kurna Asabe), particularly pupils. But despite the metal barrier, some people still find ways to manoeuvre and cross over without using the bridge. It is dangerous because the highway is always busy and drivers are always afraid to wait when they hit someone because of the tendency of mob action or jungle justice when something goes wrong.
“Some will go to the part of the road where you have a u-turn with no metal barriers to cross, instead of using the bridge. We must continue to sensitise our people to continue to use the pedestrian bridges for their own safety and the safety of other road users,” Abubakar told our reporter.
Other pedestrian bridges being used mostly by students/pupils are located at BUK road by Aminu Kano School of Legal and Islamic Studies, and Gwarzo Road, close to Musa Ilyasu College.
An old pedestrian bridge in front of Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital has given way for a flyover, giving easy access to the hospital under the flyover, occupied by traders, making vehicular movement slow; and therefore, posing no risk to pedestrians.
Why Abuja residents abandon pedestrian bridges
Although pedestrian bridges are provided at strategic points on some highways across Abuja, some residents would rather risk crossing the road than use the infrastructure.
Efforts by Weekend Trust to get the reason for this action were initially rebuffed by many residents seen taking such risky decisions, however, a few of them responded. Among them was Hajiya Aishatu Shuaibu, who was seen crossing the Kubwa expressway in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the morning rush hour recently to access a nearby fuel station where she was going to buy cooking gas.
She confessed that crossing the highway by road was risky, but added that she only takes the decision when she is in a hurry. “It is very risky. This is one of the mistakes we make as Nigerians. I only cross the road if I am in a hurry. I would simply put everything before God to protect me and cross by road,” she said.
She, however, advised the public to use the pedestrian bridge, which she agrees is safer.
Anas Yahaya, a serving corps member seen in his NYSC uniform, uses the pedestrian bridge instead of taking a risk to cross the road, saying it is safer and good for health as it involves exercising the body.
“No matter how much of a hurry I am in, I always make sure I use the pedestrian bridge, which takes me just a few minutes,” the corps member said.
But Zayyanu Ahmad, a resident of Dei-Dei, also in Abuja, who was seen crossing the same expressway, had a different reason for his action.
He explained that there’s only one pedestrian bridge at Dei-Dei; as a result, many residents whose locations are far from the single bridge find it difficult to walk a long distance to use the bridge, unless their destination is near the bridge.
Our reporter observed that although a barbed wire is mounted along the road to force residents to use the bridge, pedestrians still cross the road, some of them accessing vandalised points of the barbed wire.
Ahmad urged the government to provide additional pedestrian bridges in the community to encourage residents to take the safer route when crossing the highway.
Residents of Wuye, Abuja who spoke to Weekend Trust, said they were afraid to use the newly constructed pedestrian bridge because it is unsafe.
A driver at Wuye park, Mr Christopher Atekare, said the area needed better demarcation in the middle and should be extended to Berger bridge.
He said, “Concerning this bridge, there is a need for them to continue the demarcation with barbed wire up to Berger bridge so that people will stop crossing from the flyover. This is because there is a space for people to keep crossing from there. That is why they are avoiding the pedestrian bridge.”
Atekare also explained that some criminals would stay on or under the bridge and rob people. He revealed that some victims have had their bags and phones snatched, adding that the government could put police officers near the bridge to improve the security of pedestrians.
“A lot of bad guys hang around pedestrian bridges to snatch bags, phones and other valuables. When you get to the middle of the bridge you will see guys who will walk up to you with a knife, asking for your wallet or phone. If you lose your belongings while trying to use the pedestrian bridge, tomorrow no one would want to use it again,” he said.
He said government officers should control both drivers and passengers and this would help more people to use the pedestrian bridge.
Atekare also said some pedestrian bridges had too many beggars and people feel guilty when they pass without giving them money; they avoid the bridge.
“If the government can improve security by providing police officers very close to the pedestrian bridge, people will use it,” he added.
Victor Adamu, a taxi driver, said the Wuye pedestrian bridge is far from where people normally stand, noting that the place is also lonely, especially in the afternoon and people can be robbed easily.
Adamu shared a story of one of his passengers – a woman he alighted from the vehicle near the bridge. According to him, he told her that the place was unsafe but she insisted on stopping by the bridge. And before he could make a u-turn from Berger, she had been stabbed and robbed. He added that the situation there is very bad because it can happen at any time of the day.
A Point of Sale (POS) operator who prefers to be anonymous also confirmed the incident of robbery at the bridge. He said many people refuse to use the bridge because thieves often steal phones and bags there.
“We have been here and have seen a lot of people crying and running to us that they snatched their phones. The main problem is that there is no security at that bridge,” he said.
A banana seller, Mrs Zainab, said some beggars on the bridge worked with criminals, explaining that some are informants to notorious gangs staying very close to the bridge.
She narrated how one of her cousins was cut with a knife and had to give up her bag and phone on the bridge.
Zainab also called on the government to intervene and improve security on the Wuye pedestrian bridge so that it could be safe for everyone to use.
Similarly, at the Kugbo pedestrian bridge, along the Karu-Keffi highway, most pedestrians prefer to cross the ever-busy road, a situation that has caused a number of accidents.
Lagos: Pedestrians cross highways despite enforcement
Despite the presence of the vans and officers of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, pedestrians still cross the highways.
Weekend Trust observed that cart pushers and a few passersby defy the state’s law that prohibits crossing the highway at Ojota. However, at the footbridge in 7up junction, along Motorways, pedestrians were seen using the bridge.
Conversely, pedestrians throw compliance to the wind 5.2km away at Secretariat junction, opposite the Ministry of Environment, as few people were seen crossing despite the presence of enforcement officers.
Weekend Trust observed that at the foot of each footbridge, there is an erected metal board with a warning and fine of N50,000 for defaulters.
Pedestrians who spoke to our correspondent emphasised the importance of using bridges, saying the structures help to protect lives. They also highlighted the risks of crossing the highway.
Bello Babatunde said, “It is important for citizens to use pedestrian bridges. The government built them to protect our lives. There is the need to always use a pedestrian bridge where it is available. The highway is mainly made for vehicles and not for human beings to cross.”
Motunrayo Shobowale said, “Using the footbridge is very important for safety because of the speed of vehicles on the highway. Some of the drivers do not focus; they are distracted by many things. I urge everyone to use the bridges for their safety.”
John Shalom also said, “I will advise defaulters to start using the bridges. The state government does not need to put KAI officials on the road because the bridges are for our safety.”
Barricades enforce use
In Borno State, barricades erected by the state government have not allowed pedestrians to violate the use of overhead bridges.
At the pedestrian bridge located close to Jagwal GSM market, Bulunkutu area, our correspondent observed people climbing and descending.
Many of the traders around the market said the frequency of accidents in the areas had reduced drastically.
“Before now, we witnessed accidents that led to serious injuries or deaths on a daily basis, but since the erection of the tall shields, accidents have become very minimal,” he said.
A middle-aged woman, Halimatu Aisami, who was seen using the bridge, said she felt a sense of safety each time she used the structure, but most times preferred taking the risk to cross the road instead.
“I hate the stress of climbing the stairs up and down. Besides, we are all used to crossing the road right from childhood and it has not been easy to adjust,” she said.
At the Ramat Polytechnic pedestrian bridge, some students were seen alighting from buses and tricycles from a long distance to avoid climbing the bridge.
One of the students, Christina Daniel, said she shunned the pedestrian bridge due to its distance from the bus stop and tricycle stand.
“The bridge is empty because it is not located at the right place where people could use it to cross the road to go to school. That is why many of us prefer to reach the bus stop and cross the road without the stress of climbing the bridge,” she said.
However, our correspondent noticed parents helping their children to cross the bridge in the morning and afternoon due to heavy traffic at that time.
At Elkanemi College, students and parents are said to use the bridge, especially during school hours.
One of the parents, Abdulmumini Lawan, said it gave them peace of mind when the state government constructed the bridge.
“Majority of the students use the bridge now. It reduces the risk of accidents,” he said.
People are using the bridge (at Kurna Asabe), particularly pupils. But despite the metal barrier, some people still find ways to manoeuvre and cross over without using the bridge. It is dangerous because the highway is always busy and drivers are always afraid to wait when they hit someone because of the tendency of mob action or jungle justice when something goes wrong.
‘Need for advocacy on the use of pedestrian bridges’
The Federal Road Safety Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Olusegun Ogungbemide while speaking to Weekend Trust noted that pedestrian bridges were provided by government to reduce risk of people being knocked down and killed while crossing roads. “These bridges are hardly used because people like easy things. They feel, it’s faster crossing the roads than using thepedestrian bridges because they are always in a hurry. Sometimes, even where the government creates a barrier for people not have access to a certain place, they destroy them to have easy access and uunfortunately, sometimes when they cross the roads get killed by high speed vehicles.”
He, however, called on drivers to reduce their speed when they approach clustered areas.
“The global safety rules says a driver should reduce speed to 30km/h when getting to a built up area so that you can quickly stop and avoid killing anyone crossing the road.
For the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), there are no fines or rules attached for not using the pedestrian bridges but it is aware that in states like Lagos, their state road traffic officers enforce the use of pedestrian bridges,” he said.
He also noted that there was need for more advocacy to enlighten people on the need and safety of using pedestrian bridges.
Contributions from; Ahmad Datti, Kano; Adam Umar, Cecilia Oje, Abuja, Dotun Omisakin, Lagos, Hamisu Mataza, Maiduguri & Musa Luka Musa