“This Is Not Safe”: Passengers Describe Distressing Journey on E.Ekesons Abuja–Lagos Route

By Fatima Saka

What should have been a routine 10 to 12-hour journey from Abuja to Lagos turned into a distressing, nearly two-day ordeal for passengers aboard an E.Ekesons Transport Company bus, following a series of incidents linked to alleged driver misconduct and unsafe practices.

Trouble began shortly after the vehicle departed from the Utako terminal in Abuja on Sunday evening at 5:mp. According to passengers, the driver and conductor started picking up additional riders, commonly referred to as “attachments”,despite the bus already being fully booked.

Tensions escalated when one of the newly boarded passengers attempted to sit on the floor and dropped a heavy “Ghana Must-go” bag on another commuter’s leg.

“This place will be better for me to sit,” the passenger reportedly said, prompting immediate from others.

“No, you can’t sit here!” another passenger shouted, as several commuters insisted that no extra passengers should be admitted after tickets had been sold.

Despite repeated objections, the driver allegedly continued to pick up passengers at multiple stops, including Gwagwalada and Lokoja in Kogi State, further fuelling anger among commuters.

Passengers confronted the driver, warning against further stops to pick up additional attachments. One commuter even called the company’s office line to report what they described as “outrageous behaviour.

“They are just trying to make more money. It’s not right to carry extra passengers when the vehicle is already full,” one passenger said.

Passengers also raised concerns about unsafe travel conditions, citing overcrowding, suspected exposure to harmful fumes, and increasingly hostile behaviour from the driver and conductor.

Although the situation briefly calmed, tensions flared again the following morning. A simple request by a passenger seated at the back, asking another commuter who happened to be the commuter that had confrontation with the driver, to help inform the driver of his stop, reportedly triggered an aggressive reaction.

“Is it your job?” the driver snapped, shocking passengers and reigniting earlier frustrations.

Witnesses said the situation quickly escalated, with the driver allegedly hurling insults, including curses directed at a passenger’s children.

“The atmosphere became very tense and frightening. At some point, it felt like anything could happen,” a passenger recounted.

With about 35 passengers onboard, including eight children and an infant, fear spread across the bus as the confrontation threatened to turn physical. Several passengers demanded to be let off.

“Please, I’m dropping here. This is not safe,” one commuter said, while others pleaded for calm.

At Sagamu in Ogun State, where the driver stopped at a Greenville LNG station to refuel, tensions flared again after passengers suspected he intended to terminate the journey prematurely. The situation reportedly required intervention from station staff to restore calm.

Some passengers considered involving law enforcement.

“Maybe we should call the police. This driver is not ready to listen,” one passenger suggested.

The situation was eventually de-escalated after elderly passengers intervened, appealing to both the driver and aggrieved commuters to maintain calm. The driver reportedly agreed, and the journey resumed.

By the time the bus arrived in Lagos, the trip had stretched to nearly two days, leaving passengers exhausted, shaken, and frustrated.

The incident has once again drawn attention to persistent safety concerns in Nigeria’s commercial transport sector, including overloading, poor customer relations, and weak enforcement of operational standards. It also raises questions about driver training, particularly in conflict management and mental health awareness.

Passengers are now calling on transport companies and regulatory authorities to enforce stricter safety standards to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

In response, E.Ekesons Transport Company issued an apology Messages to passengers, acknowledging the driver’s conduct fell below its standards.

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“Dear valued passengers,

“We sincerely apologize for the poor experience on our Abuja to Lagos trip on 5th July 2026.

“The conduct of the driver, including carrying unauthorized passengers and the use of abusive language, goes against the standards and values of E.Ekesons Transport Co. We do not condone this behavior in any way.

“Please accept our deepest apologies for the discomfort, delay, and disrespect you experienced. We have taken immediate disciplinary actions and the matter is under full review to ensure this never happens again.