The construction of the Baro Inland Water Port in Niger State has left many residents struggling to survive after losing their farmlands and fishing grounds.
Once a thriving community dependent on agriculture and fishing, Baro is now filled with hunger and despair following the federal government’s decision to build the port, which remains non-functional, SaharaReporters can report.
The multi-billion-naira Baro Inland Port project was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 19, 2019. The port, originally conceived over a century ago during the colonial era, was revived as part of the Nigerian government’s efforts to boost inland waterway transportation and reduce pressure on the country’s roads.
During the inauguration, Buhari emphasised the port’s economic potential, particularly in facilitating trade in the northern region. The project, executed by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), cost approximately ₦5.8 billion and featured a jetty, cargo handling equipment, and an administrative block.
Baro Port was expected to improve transportation of goods along the River Niger, linking northern states to the coast. However, despite the inauguration, the port struggled to become operational due to inadequate road infrastructure and logistical challenges.
However, five years after its inauguration, the port remains inactive, and residents say they have suffered immensely due to its construction.
Comrade Aliyu Tauheed, a resident of Baro, described the inauguration as a political move that has brought nothing but hardship to the people. “You mentioned the inauguration of Baro Port. In fact, I didn’t see anything as an inauguration. Since President Muhammadu Buhari came here to inaugurate the port, I thought that it was a ‘political commission’. Because since then, we haven’t seen any sign,” he said.
He lamented the devastating impact of the port’s construction on their means of livelihood.
“The Baro community people are living in hunger; no farming, no fishing anymore, and many have resorted to begging to feed as a result of Baro Port, where our farmlands and river we used to rely on for fishing have been seized,” he said.
Tauheed also criticised the lack of infrastructure at the port.
“There’s nobody there. Only birds and animals sleep there. The only people that are going up and down, they are the security guards. If not, there’s no sign it has been opened.”
The construction of drainage systems for the project further worsened the community’s plight, leaving farmers and fishermen without access to their traditional sources of income.
“Our challenge is since during that commission, the drainage that they did was totally bad because some of our farmers have no place to farm again, no fishing again.
“Those who were catching fish, they didn’t have a way to catch fish again. The water became small; it was large before, but now there’s nothing we can do or get well for economic survival,” he said.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters reported in February how Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger East and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, condemned the Nigerian Government’s plan to construct the Baro-Katcha-Agaie Road, calling it a waste of government resources.
He argued that the project lacks economic justification, especially since Baro Port, which the road is meant to serve, is non-existent.
The senator emphasised that road construction should prioritise areas with significant human and economic activities rather than locations with little or no benefit to the public.
He questioned the rationale behind building roads in sparsely populated areas while more ‘critical routes’ remained neglected.
Usman Sule, a retired education officer, questioned how such a massive project could be completed without proper access roads.
“How can you spend a large amount of money on a port and then fail to construct a road to connect to the port? Only water,” Sule said.
He added that the drainage system also destroyed farmlands and fishing areas.
“The federal government should please look into this situation. You see so many things have been washed out, like the farmland of people,” he said.
On his part, the community leader, Salihu Mohammed (Dagacin Baro), noted that the lack of roads has made the port completely useless.
“Even if cargo lands here in the port, there is no access road to transport the goods to cities for people’s use,” Mohammed said.
“From Lapai to Agaie-Katcha-Baro is extremely bad. From Bida-Agaie-Katcha to Baro is also very bad. Heavy trucks cannot pass the road. Bridges along Agaie, Katcha to Baro have collapsed.”
The affected residents are now appealing to the federal government to intervene.
“So we are appealing to the federal government to come to our aid, to help us to reconstruct the port, by reporting that the road from Katcha to Baro is totally bad.
“From Gulu to Lapai to Baro is totally bad. So we are appealing to the federal government to please come to our aid.”
Driving towards Baro Port, the road tells a story of neglect and despair. The once-promising trade route is now a nightmare, riddled with deep potholes and collapsed bridges. The worst sight is the makeshift wooden bridges, hastily assembled by desperate residents using logs and sticks.
Standing nearby, one could watch as motorcycles and light vehicles cautiously cross, the structure creaking under their weight.
As the sun sets, villagers gather to reinforce the fragile bridge—an emblem of resilience amid abandonment. But for how long? The fate of Baro hangs in uncertainty.
This article was originally published by Sahara Reporters on 5 March, 2025
