Akure-Owo Expressway Shutdown as Residents Demand Action on Rising Insecurity
The Akure-Owo highway came to a complete standstill on Tuesday, March 10, as desperate residents of Akure North Local Government Area staged a dramatic protest against the alarming wave of kidnappings and killings terrorizing their communities.
In a shocking display of their anguish, the protesters barricaded the busy expressway with the remains of a kidnap victim who was murdered by his abductors—a grim testament to the severity of insecurity plaguing the area.
“We Are Dying, Save Our Souls”
Hundreds of residents poured onto the highway, wielding placards bearing heartbreaking messages: “We Are Dying, Save Our Souls,” “Mr Governor, Please Assist Us,” and “Our Children Are in Danger and We Cannot Go to Farms Again.”
The protesters made their demands clear—they would not reopen the highway until Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa personally visits the scene and addresses their security concerns.
Life Has Become Unbearable
According to the distraught residents, their once-peaceful communities have become death traps. Farmers can no longer venture to their farms for fear of abduction, while families cannot sleep peacefully at night.
“How can we survive when we cannot farm? How can we sleep when kidnappers roam freely?” one protester lamented.
The situation has crippled daily life and economic activities in affected communities, leaving residents trapped between hunger and the fear of being kidnapped.
Police Promise Reinforcement
The protest eventually caught the attention of Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, who arrived at the scene to intervene personally.
After extensive negotiations, CP Lawal succeeded in persuading the protesters to allow traffic flow on the highway. He assured them that additional police personnel and tactical units would be deployed immediately to tackle the insecurity menace.
Fresh Kidnapping Just a Day Before
The protest came barely 24 hours after yet another brazen abduction on Monday, March 9. Gunmen kidnapped the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area alongside two others on his farm in Akoko North West Local Government Area.
This incident further inflamed tensions and reinforced residents’ fears that no one—regardless of position—is safe from the kidnapping epidemic.
A Growing National Crisis
The situation in Ondo State mirrors the broader insecurity crisis affecting many parts of Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom has become increasingly common, particularly in rural farming communities.
Experts have repeatedly called for stronger security measures, improved intelligence gathering, and better coordination among security agencies to combat the menace.
As Ondo residents await concrete action from the state government, the question remains: How many more lives must be lost before lasting solutions are implemented?
This is a developing story. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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