Travel Nightmare Lady Reveals How A Trip From Benin To Port Harcourt Took 2 Days

A Nigerian lady has narrated how a road trip from Benin City, Edo State, to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which would ordinarily take about six hours, turned into a gruelling two-day journey due to heavy traffic, diversions and overnight stops.

The traveller shared her experience in a viral video, recounting the difficulties she encountered after setting out from Benin on a Sunday.

According to the lady, she initially visited three different transport companies before eventually finding a vehicle heading to Port Harcourt. She said she eventually departed Benin at about 1:12 p.m., but heavy rainfall began shortly after the journey commenced.

She explained that the situation became worse around the Benin bypass, where traffic congestion was reportedly so severe that the driver had to look for an alternative route.

“Getting to the Benin bypass, everywhere was blocked like they locked the whole place and threw the key into a river,” she said.

The driver reportedly diverted through several communities in an attempt to avoid the traffic. However, the passengers allegedly encountered different groups who demanded payments at various points along the alternative route.

The lady said they were stopped at about five or six different locations, where they reportedly paid amounts ranging from ₦200 to ₦500 before continuing their journey.

She said the passengers later encountered another major traffic jam after believing they had successfully avoided the initial congestion. According to her, they arrived at the location before 2 p.m. but remained trapped until after 7 p.m.

The prolonged delay reportedly left several passengers exhausted, with some eventually stepping out of the vehicle while they waited for the traffic to ease.

She also recalled how passengers began discussing Nigerian politics and the 2027 elections while they remained stranded in traffic. At some point, she brought out her food and started eating as the discussion continued.

The journey continued into the night, and the passengers eventually reached Onitsha at about 10 p.m. However, the driver reportedly decided not to proceed further because he considered it unsafe to continue travelling at that hour.

The passengers consequently spent the night at Peace Mass Park in Onitsha, where other travellers and buses from different parts of the country were also reportedly stranded.

According to the lady, some drivers later agreed to continue the journey together around 2 a.m., forming a small convoy for safety.

Their ordeal, however, continued after they reached Ouewe at approximately 3:30 a.m. She said they were instructed to stop and wait until 6 a.m. before continuing the journey.

By that point, she said she had resigned herself to the situation and accepted that the journey would take much longer than originally anticipated.

The passengers eventually resumed their trip at 6 a.m. and continued towards Rivers State. After another few hours on the road, they finally arrived in Port Harcourt at around 9 a.m.

Expressing relief after the exhausting journey, the lady thanked God for her safe arrival and described the experience as a two-day road trip that was initially expected to last only a few hours.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the experience highlights the unpredictable challenges travellers can encounter on Nigerian roads, particularly when heavy traffic, adverse weather conditions and safety concerns disrupt planned journeys.