My British colleague who works in Lagos has two kids and is an experienced Africa hand. During the holiday he decided to take the ferry across the lagoon to the beach to spend the day with friends, as his wife and kids had something else to do. Passing under the Third Mainland Bridge he glanced behind and saw two speedboats coming straight at him, on the plane so the pilots couldn’t see what was ahead of them. He jumped into the lagoon, thinking “sheeit the second boat is going to hit my head” but luckily it didn’t; the first boat embedded its bow into the cabin of the ferry boat and another boatman came over and pulled him out of the water. They towed the two speedboats back to the marina and called the Police but he doubts anything will have happened as the owners were rich Nigerian playboys and will just have paid dash.

I have known two Lebanese and a British guy who have died in Lagos, each time it was not shot by armed robbers as people always fear but by stupid accidents, one a boat, one a factory accident and one a drowning. Stupid accidents and car crashes kill far more people than guns.

Shocking how things like that happen, thank God he escaped unhurt.

My brother used to work in Nigeria about 15 years ago, didnt sound very nice.

Slightly confused about the plane? In the story.

That’s the fear I have traveling. Even in some parts of eastern Europe lots of things are lot more slap dash and road safety is a lot worse. Taxi transfers frequently scare me.

I took “speedboat on the plane” to mean bow up high as it was going fast

Slightly confused about the plane

Lucky he didn’t mention the conveyor belt!

(on the plane as in going fast and skipping over the water, not chugging through itas a displacement hull)

I have a sound engineer friend who did a train journey with Griff Rhys Jones through Lagos…

It cost him more than his salary for the job to get out of the country…

I’m not too sure they’ll ever go back, too many instances of bribery and gun corruption for thier liking ..

Nigeria’s quite an interesting country with a rich history, maybe not somewhere you’d go for the beaches but the people are friendly. The gun laws are stricter than their health and safety, guns are only licensed for sport but you don’t need an mot for your car to take to the roads outside Lagos. The police are corrupt but the armed robbers are generally alright, they even give receipts

Even in some parts of eastern Europe lots of things are lot more slap dash and road safety is a lot worse

I just updated all our risk assessments and protocols after some minor incidents in our first 18mths of lots of international travel among colleagues. We had a Polish hotel bedroom fire due to iffy electrics, being approached/followed on morning run in Estonia and minor car crash in Spain due to overly fast taxi. You’ll be pleased to know I missed the Russell Viper by 1 minute in Myanmar…but the headteacher was running fast when I met him….!

(on the plane as in going fast and skipping over the water, not chugging through itas a displacement hull)

nerdy contribution – when a boat goes from displacement to planing the bow drops improving the helmsman’s vision.

In my previous job I went to Nigeria quite a lot, Lagos and Abuja specifically. Very interesting places, never been anywhere like them in my life and hope to never have to go back anytime soon!

When I worked in aviation, one of our sales guys flew into Brazil, got in a taxi at the airport, and was discovered a few hours later on a central reservation in only his undercrackers.

Pretty sure he hasn’t been back….

I just updated all our risk assessments and protocols after some minor incidents in our first 18mths of lots of international travel among colleagues.

Yep, on a flight back across Borneo we were told a lot of the big companies don’t like their guys on that airline….
Same trip had taxis mixing it way too much in Jakarta traffic, a mental drive dodging petrol tankers and kids on bikes through the jungle and plenty more make you think a little more than it’s just an adventure.

A work colleague did a six month work-sponsored charity placement in Lagos. They failed to tell her that she would not be allowed out of the compound without an armed guard. It did not end well and she’s glad to be back. Funny enough her experience is not one widely advertised when looking for new volunteers. To be fair, others have had fantastic experiences making genuine contributions.

Port Harcourt FTW – routinely driving at high speed on the wrong side of the “motorway” into oncoming traffic. Luckily with MOPOL escort.

nerdy contribution – when a boat goes from displacement to planing the bow drops improving the helmsman’s vision.

Massive engine clamped to back of small craft and/or outboard/sterndrive trim not fully down? It wouldn’t even surprise me if it was a fashion thing amongst rich young Nigerians, who can trail the biggest wake or something like that.

Whatever the case, the pilots or drivers of the boats didn’t see the passenger ferry right in front until they piled right into it.

I’ve been to Nigeria about 80 times and find it an amazing country, with the most resourceful, hardest-working and best educated people you’ll meet anywhere. They brew great beer as well.

the pilots or drivers of the boats

Helmsman or possibly captain old boy, helmsman or captain. Ships do have pilots but they come on board to advise on navigating around challenging waters not holding on to the twiddly bits. Though in the 16th century the term pilot was used instead of captain for the commander of a vessel – I digress.

Agreed on the beer though. And there are idiots in charge of boats all around the world. I narrowly missed being killed by a small craft that planed through a buoyed and well marked up swim area this summer in the UK. When you dive down out of the way and see the cavitation from the prop go right over your head you know it was close. And just the merest hint that you would like to buy a jetski should see you decapitated for the good of the rest of us.

Worked a lot in Nigeria between 2000-05 and had many interesting experiences. First impressions when at passport control and asked for passport which then hand over then asked for passport again with hand open sets the tone. In the end we had armed guards meeting us off the plane before immigration/security. Oh make sure your immunisations are up to date otherwise bribe or threat with dodgy non sterile needles…

Spent time in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja but most interesting was Warri. We had a saying ‘you need to worry in Warri’. Always took rubber door stops to jam under your day while in hotel room. A colleague who forgot his was woken up in the middle of the night with his room being ransacked.

Probably the scariest times were when the general strikes would happen and everyone (including guards/security) would just leave. Remember being on an Eni compound being attacked and barricading ourselves into a room. Thankfully it came to little but still very worrying.

Libya on the other hand was a walk in the park!

Remember being on an Eni compound being attacked and barricading ourselves into a room

Ooh – I remember seeing that reported – nasty. I was in the Total camp, big walls and armed guards, and thinking “if push comes to shove, how many of these guys will actually lift a finger to protect me 🙁