Death Trap on 134km Highway: Insurgents Exploit Neglect as Commuters Plead for Urgent Repairs on Damaturu-Biu Road

For the thousands of civilians and commercial drivers who navigate the 134-kilometre Damaturu–Buni-Yadi–Biu federal highway daily, the journey is a gamble between crumbling asphalt and lurking insurgents.

A media tour of the strategic corridor conducted under heavy military escort on Wednesday revealed a road in catastrophic condition. Gap-toothed with craters, littered with abandoned vehicles, and shrouded in dread, the artery meant to economically link Yobe, Borno, and Gombe has instead become a strategic asset for non state actors.

"We Have No Alternative"

Passengers wept in frustration.

"This road is very bad. It became necessary for me to follow this road because I don’t have the means to use the longer and safer one," said Malama Fatima, a passenger travelling from Damaturu to Gombe. "We are begging the authorities to repair this road for us."

Abdullahi Umar, a traveller en route from Buni-Gari to Biu, said he has endured the road for two decades.

"This is the only road I know. We have been managing with it for 20 years because we have no alternative," Umar said. "It is a daily means of securing our food. We urge the government to repair this road to prevent attacks by insurgents on civilians and security personnel."

Drivers: "The Road is Completely Dilapidated"

Commercial drivers, whose livelihoods depend on the highway, described years of neglect.

Ali Hassan, a driver of six years on the Maiduguri–Biu route, said the road is "completely dilapidated with big, big potholes."

"If repairs are carried out, even if minimal, it will reduce the level of insecurity," he said.

Abdullahi Hussaini, who has plied the route for over seven years, added: "Following this road is not easy. It is completely damaged. This road plays a significant role in our lives. We are calling on Federal and State Governments to come to our aid."

Alhaji Mohammad Mai Yadi, travelling from Potiskum to Mubi, urged the Federal Government to act urgently "for the safety of the people of the North East and Nigeria at large."

Insurgents Exploit Neglect

Our correspondent gathered that the road’s dilapidation has become a force multiplier for insurgents. Troops now conduct daily early morning patrols to sweep for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) before commuters are permitted to move.

Sources say insurgents deliberately exploit the poor terrain to bury IEDs and ambush slow moving vehicles.

Economic Lifeline Under Siege

Beyond security, the 132-kilometers corridor boosts local economies in Damaturu, Buni-Yadi, Buratai, Miringa, and Biu. It serves as a major freight route for agricultural produce and an alternative corridor for heavy trucks moving goods from Borno to other states.

Glimmer of Hope Or Too Little?

On 13th November 2025, the Federal Government, through the North East Development Commission (NEDC), handed over the site for reconstruction of the 25-kilometre Damaturu–Gujba road to an indigenous contractor. The project has a 12-month completion timeline.

Our correspondent also gathered that the full NEDC project is planned to span 77 kilometres, extending from Damaturu to Magza a border village between Yobe and Borno.

But for weary commuters, piecemeal intervention is cold comfort.

As travellers continue to brave IEDs, ambushes, and axle-breaking craters, one question haunts the North East.How many more lives must be lost before this critical artery is restored to dignity?

Yusuf A Yusuf, write from Damaturu