Cross River Residents Demand Urgent Repair of Key Federal Highway

Communities across Cross River State have taken to the streets to protest the dangerously bad condition of a major federal highway connecting several local government areas. The demonstrators say the road has been in disrepair for decades, forcing travellers to navigate hazardous stretches and hindering trade and daily movement.

Youth leaders and residents from five local government areas — including Ikom, Etung, Boki, Obanliku and Obudu — marched in protest, calling on the federal government to dispatch work crews and begin reconstruction immediately. They warned that if action isn’t taken within a week, they will intensify their demonstration, including possibly blocking the highway entirely.

Protest organisers described the road as a “death trap” that has caused accidents, disrupted markets and slowed economic activities across the region. One of the march leaders said the deteriorating route not only affects local commuters but also access to the popular Obudu Mountain Resort, a key tourist destination.

In response to growing frustration, the federal legislator representing the area confirmed that plans to address the highway’s rehabilitation have been included in the national budget and urged youths to remain calm while authorities make arrangements for repairs. Still, residents continue to press for swift and visible action on the long‑neglected stretch of road.