Fear grips motorists, villagers as kidnappers return to Abuja-Lokoja Highway
The deployment of security agents and members of the vigilante at some black spots along the highway brought some relief to both travellers and villagers. However
One of the dark spots close to a bridge in Idu village along Abuja-Lokoja road
After gunmen went on rampage, attacking, kidnapping and killing travellers, including one Mr Chucks Ofodile, owner of a popular supermarket in Lokoja, in June 2020, along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway, security was beefed up along the axis.
The presence of security agents became more visible, including stationing of an Armoured Police Carrier (APC) along the axis, as a result of the incessant attacks on travellers by the kidnappers.
The deployment of security agents and members of the vigilante at some black spots along the highway brought some relief to both travellers and villagers. However, on Sunday, February 22, 2021, when suspected kidnappers, armed to the teeth, returned to the Abuja-Lokoja Highway, opened fire on vehicles and killed three travellers, injured six and whisked away scores of passengers.
The return of the kidnappers to the highway has created fear and anxiety not only to travellers but to villagers who reside along the highway.
Some motorists, who spoke with our reporter, said they are always scared while plying the road due to the return of the kidnappers.
Ifeanyi Moses, a commercial driver who plies Gwagwalada to Enugu, said he managed to escape an attack near Idu village, along the Abuja-Lokoja road.
He said though the kidnappers shot and deflated one of his tyres, he managed to escape with his passengers to Aseni village.
“It was at a village called Aseni that I finally parked my vehicle before I fixed a spare tyre to continue my journey that day,” he said.
According to him, since the last incident, he always travels in convoy with other commercial vehicles, even as he blamed the absence of security agents at the black spots along the axis for the attack.
Another motorist, Suleiman Yahaya, also expressed fear over the return of kidnappers to the highway, saying they usually target their victims on Sunday, when people were returning from weekend from the south to the northern part of the country.
He said what happened last Sunday clearly showed that the kidnappers have returned to the highway and also blamed the absence of security agents at the black spots along the axis.
A resident of Idu community, simply identified as Ibrahim, said there was now growing fears among residents of the community as a result of the return of kidnappers to the highway.
He said the kidnappers have taken advantage of the absence of security agents to attack travellers along the axis, adding that they mostly appear from the forest to attack travellers close to the bridge.
“If you see how these bandits were shooting vehicles on the highway, just to kidnap passengers. It was terrible,” he said.
Another resident of Aseni village also located along the highway, Musa Saidu, said residents of the community especially farmers now go to their farms in fear because of the return of kidnappers.
“There is palpable fear among the people of this community as I speak because one is likely to come across them in the bush, especially our farmers,” he said.
He said although the kidnappers have not attacked any community, but their return to the highway has become a source of nightmare to members of the community and neighbouring villages.
He called on government to deploy security agents to man all the black spots in order to checkmate the resurgence of kidnapping along the axis.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that some black spots like Chikara sharp bend, opposite Yakwo Farms, Omoko, Ochonyi, Aseni sharp bend, Idu bridge and Ahoko-Etegi have all been deserted by security agents.
The Ohimegye of Igu-Kotonkarfe kingdom, His Royal Majesty Alhaji Abdulrazak Isah Koto, while speaking with our reporter, expressed concern over the activities of armed bandits along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, even as he said the issue of security should be the collective responsibility of everyone.
He said there was the need for the Federal Government to install CCTV cameras along the highway, which he said would also help to checkmate cases of kidnappings along the axis.
He also called for equipping of the security agents with modern technology, which he said would help to tackle cases of kidnapping and banditry along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway.
The spokesman of the Kogi State police command, ASP Williams Ayah, did not pick calls or reply to text message sent to his phone.