Angry youths in Ayede Ogbese, a community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Friday staged a protest against the growing wave of kidnappings and insecurity in their area.
The demonstration came less than 24 hours after suspected gunmen shot dead a businessman, identified as Mr. Okudili Okoro, and abducted a local businesswoman, Mrs. Orogun, from the same community.
The aggrieved youths barricaded the busy Ayede Ogbese highway, halting vehicular movement for several hours. The blockade forced motorists and commuters to abandon the main road and navigate through bush paths in a desperate attempt to reach their destinations.
Speaking during the protest, a youth leader who gave her name as Justina, accused government and security operatives of negligence. She linked the growing insecurity to the deplorable state of roads in the community, adding that despite the presence of checkpoints, kidnappers still operate freely.
> “We no longer have security in Ayede Ogbese. It is now the youths who provide security for themselves, which is both sad and shameful. Despite the presence of security agents on this road, abductions still take place. What exactly are they doing here?” she queried.
She further lamented that the murder of Okoro and the abduction of Mrs. Orogun had heightened fears among residents.
> “We are not safe anymore. Just yesterday, one of our own was killed and another woman, a shop owner, was kidnapped in broad daylight. Government should tell us what they are doing about the bad roads and these incessant kidnappings,” she added.
In response, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, met with the protesters and assured them that the police command was committed to restoring peace in the community. He promised that those behind the attacks would be apprehended and that the abducted woman would be rescued unharmed.
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