By Kelvin Ololo
Motorists plying the Calabar–Itu highway have raised fresh concerns over the worsening condition of the road, warning that with the approaching rainy season and the build-up to the 2027 general elections, the route could become “even more deadly” if urgent intervention is not undertaken.
Road users lamented the delay in the rehabilitation of the highway after a truck driver lost his life in a collision involving two trucks on Monday, March 2, 2026. The highway, which links Calabar in Cross River State to Akwa Ibom State and other parts of the South-South region, serves as a major economic corridor for commuters, traders, and transport operators but has increasingly become a death trap despite continuous public outcry.
Several sections of the road have deteriorated into deep potholes and eroded surfaces, making movement hazardous for motorists. A visit by CrossRiverWatch revealed extensive damage along critical portions of the highway, with large craters dotting the carriageway and forcing drivers to swerve dangerously into oncoming lanes to avoid damaged sections.
In some areas, the asphalt has completely peeled off, exposing sharp gravel and uneven laterite surfaces. Many drivers were seen parking along the route to fix vehicles damaged by the rough terrain.
The road has also become heavily dust-laden, reducing visibility and posing respiratory risks to commuters. Some road users were observed covering their noses with handkerchiefs and face masks to shield themselves from thick dust stirred by passing vehicles. Commercial drivers described the experience as exhausting and economically draining due to frequent vehicle breakdowns and rising maintenance costs.
“The government is giving deaf ears to our cry, how long will it take them to fix this road. We are spending much on repairs and maintenance,” a motorist said.
Another who recounted a separate incident from the Monday accident in which a truck conveying gravel reportedly lost balance after navigating a badly damaged section of the road and fell onto a commercial bus.
According to an eyewitness identified as Alamtung, “the truck had attempted to avoid a deep pothole when it tilted and collapsed sideways, landing partly and pouring gravel on the bus. Although no fatalities were confirmed, passengers sustained injuries and the vehicle was severely damaged.”
Road users insisted that such accidents are no longer isolated incidents but a recurring threat directly linked to the deplorable state of the highway.
Several motorists who spoke to CrossRiverWatch accused authorities of neglecting the road, alleging that decision-makers rarely travel through the route.
“They have abandoned this road because none of them travel here, if they were using it daily like us, it wouldn’t be in this condition,” one commercial driver said.
Others argued that repeated promises of rehabilitation have not translated into visible and sustained reconstruction work, expressing frustration over what they described as a cycle of political assurances without long-term solutions.
“We don’t have hope for this road this year, why will Tinubu promise us another road when he cannot mobilize to maintain the existing ones and citizens are dying everyday?”. A trader asked.
With the rainy season approaching, commuters fear that already fragile sections could become completely impassable. Water accumulation in potholes, they say, could conceal their depth and increase the risk of tyre bursts, loss of control, and fatal crashes.
“By the time the rains start fully, this road will be worse than what we are seeing now. If nothing is done before the 2027 elections, we may witness more tragic accidents.”
Speaking to CrossRiverWatch in a telephone interview, the Director General of Good Governance Advocacy International, Sir Leonard Anyogo, called on the president, federal lawmakers, and the Minister of Works to match their words with action by ensuring the speedy rehabilitation of the road.
“The issue of Calabar-Itu Federal highway has become like a pandemic, there hasn’t been any action, we want to call that, that road should be declared a national emergency.”
He also stated that government responses to the situation have remained largely cosmetic despite the growing number of incidents on the road.
“Though assurance has been made and little has been done, let the road be a front burner issue before the government and ministry of works”.
Also speaking, the Head of Office of “We The People,” a civil society organization, Comrade Ukeme Ekong, recounted her recent experience while travelling to Uyo along the route. “The state of Calabar–Itu road to me is like a highway to the grave. I travelled around 2:30 p.m., but we didn’t get to Akwa Ibom until about 4:00 a.m. because we had to sleep on the road,”
She urged the government to prioritize the rehabilitation of the road, noting that alternative routes such as waterways are increasingly unsafe and costly, while the poor state of the highway is affecting the movement of farm produce and economic activities in the region.
Other stakeholders have also added their voices, calling for urgent federal intervention, comprehensive reconstruction rather than temporary repairs, and clear timelines for the execution of the project.
For many residents and transport operators, the Calabar–Itu highway is not merely an infrastructure concern but a critical lifeline whose continued deterioration carries both economic and human costs. As political activities gradually gather momentum toward 2027, road users and stakeholders say safety and infrastructure must move beyond campaign rhetoric to concrete action.
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