Following the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria, transport fares skyrocketed, making the movement of people and goods expensive, but metro buses in Maiduguri, Borno State capital are cushioning the effect on residents.
Last year, the Borno State Government launched the metro buses alongside other means of transportation within Maiduguri metropolitan to ease the movement of people.
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Residents who commute on the Borno Express Metro buses told WikkiTimes the buses which run on diesel rather than petroleum, are easing their daily movement in the city.
“Government buses have become the immediate alternative for residents of Maiduguri due to the high petrol prices,” a resident said.
In an interview with WikkiTimes, one of the bus drivers, Yusuf Inuwa, explained that the buses are operated by the government and run on diesel.
He buttressed that they have been instructed to collect a fare of N50 per head from passengers.
Another driver, Alkali Ahmad, further explained that they receive monthly wages and are required to account for the daily earnings.
While responding to allegations of overloading, Ahmed explained that the reason “we allow passengers to stand is due to the high number of commuters caused by the recent fuel price hike in Maiduguri.
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“The aim is to assist people and ensure that they do not collect more than N50 from passengers.”
Another passenger, Adama Musa, said she doesn’t like the bus due to the overcrowding, but she doesn’t have a choice but to board it because she can no longer afford to take a tricycle.
A passenger, Suleiman Mohammad, appreciated Governor Babagana Umara Zullum for providing the buses. He stated that without them, he wouldn’t even know how people would survive during these difficult times.
WikkiTimes observed that students are among the highest users of the intra-city vehicle.
