Transport Fares Spike By Up To 50% Across Enugu As Christmas, New Year Rush Catches Commuters Off Guard

Transport fares across major routes in Enugu State have surged by as much as 45 to 50 percent less than 12 hours to Christmas Day, leaving many commuters shocked and frustrated as they struggle to travel for end-of-year festivities. SaharaReporters checks conducted on Wednesday revealed that commercial transport operators abruptly increased prices across both inter-city and intra-city routes, citing festive traffic imbalance and rising operational losses.
On the popular Old Park–Eke Obinagu route, fares that previously ranged between ₦400 and ₦500 now cost between ₦700 and ₦800. Similarly, commuters traveling from Old Park to Abakpa, who usually paid ₦400 to ₦500 depending on the time of day, were forced to part with as much as ₦800. Passengers using the Holy Ghost–Agbani Road axis also experienced sharp increases, with fares jumping from ₦500 to ₦900.
Intra-city transportation has not been spared either. Short-distance trips that once cost ₦150 now attract ₦300, while routes previously priced at ₦200 have doubled to ₦400. The sudden hike has disrupted travel plans for many residents, particularly low-income earners trying to reunite with family members during the festive season.
Commercial drivers defended the increase, explaining that the Christmas travel pattern has created a one-way passenger movement, leaving them stranded without return passengers. According to several drivers at Old Park, vehicles often return empty after dropping passengers in residential or rural areas, forcing operators to factor return costs into outgoing fares to avoid running at a loss.
“This festive period is different,” one driver explained. “People are traveling mostly in one direction to their villages. If we don’t adjust fares, we won’t be able to cover fuel and maintenance costs.”
However, commuters have strongly criticised the development, describing it as exploitative and poorly timed. Some passengers argued that with fuel prices lower than in previous months, transport fares should not be increasing. Others accused drivers of taking advantage of the Christmas rush to make excessive profits.
Calls have grown louder for government agencies and transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to intervene and regulate fares during festive periods. As of the time of reporting, efforts to get responses from union leaders were unsuccessful.
With Christmas and New Year celebrations fast approaching, residents say they are left with little choice but to bear the burden of higher transport costs, adding further strain to an already difficult economic season.

"Judgement will start from the house of God"- EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said that judgment shall start from the house of God.

The Commission stated this on Tuesday via a post on X, while announcing its 164th edition of EFCC Connect tagged “Fighting Economic and Financial Crimes in the House of God”.

DAILY POST reports that the Commission lifted the biblical saying from 1 Peter 4:17.

The verse is often interpreted to mean that God’s judgment, or a time of severe testing and discipline, begins with His own people (believers) before affecting those who do not obey the gospel.

However, the post has already generated mixed comments under it from some X users.

For instance, @SMARTEk2050 wrote: “No judgement of EFCC should start from the house of governments and public offices first. Allow Gods judgment to start from HIS own house”.

While, @Jiro Dezi wrote: “From efcc office first.”

Another X user identified as Tache wrote: “Eagle wey dey look one direction”.

While, @Big Dada wrote: “You have no jurisdiction to say such thing, when your own judgement favors the corrupt politicians looting the economy, shame on you.”

Benue:I Ran To Police Station,Police Told Me To Run To Soldiers Because They Had 1 Bullet Left—David.

Ukeyima David has shared how he escaped from a deadly bandit attack in Yelewata community, Benue State and fled to a police station for help.

In a video shared by News Central TV, David said when bandits attacked Yelewata community, he and his family hid in a storehouse. He said the bandits poured fuel on the roof of the storehouse and set it on fire. He said as the fire grew worse, he told his wife and children to run, hoping they would survive.

David said his wife and children ran in one direction, but the bandits caught them and killed them. He said he chose to run in a different direction, where he was attacked with a machete on his back and shot in the hand, but he still managed to escape.

David said he managed to reach the police station in the community, but the officers there had run out of ammunition. He said they told him they had only one or two bullets left and advised him to run to a nearby location where soldiers were stationed. David said he followed their advice and ran to where the soldiers were

In David's words: "I ran to police station, even at the police station where I ran to the policemen told me to run to soldiers because they were having nothing, they had only one or two bullets in their guns for defence. Then I ran to the soldiers' point"