Edo: Youths protest over high rate of kidnapping, poor infrastructure 

Over hundreds of youths blocked the Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo road roads on Wednesday over the high rate of kidnapping and poor infrastructure in the area.

The protesters complained that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence due to the dilapidated state of the road in the area.

The protest created gridlock on the road as travellers, including heavy-duty vehicles, along the road were stalled for several hours.

The youths also lamented the case of a chieftain of the Labour Party, Okasime Olowojoba, who has been kidnapped for almost a month and is yet to be released despite the kidnappers already collecting over five million naira from the family and friends.

One of the protesters, Paul Lawani, said that the people of the area have been neglected and the poor state of the roads has resulted in daily kidnappings.

He said, “We cannot continue to be slaves in our country; the government should come and tell us what they are doing.

“Akoko-Edo Local Government Area has three general hospitals and none is functioning well. What is clear is that our colonial government knew the large size of Akoko-Edo, which is why it sited three general hospitals, today. Akoko-Edo is ripe for a military base, yet we have these bases in areas that may not necessarily need them.

“Is the local government chairman not aware that there was this insecurity before he was given the job? Are they not aware that one of the reasons for this kidnapping is because of the bad roads? Instead of fixing the road, they are mounting Tinubu for 2027.

“We also want the state government to come and tell us what they want to do about this bad road and kidnapping. One of our brothers has been with the kidnappers for almost one month. His abductees have collected millions but they are yet to release him.”

The protesters also accused the security agents posted to the area of not checking insecurity, alleging that they were not taking their job in the area seriously and they vowed to continue the protest until the state government attends to them.

It took the Otaru of Igarra, HRH, Oba Adeche Saiki, who sent emissaries to the protesters to open the road for traffic, as he had also written to the state government on the poor state of the road and the level of kidnappings.