Ondo Residents Shut Down Airport–Abuja/Lagos Road Over Rising Kidnappings. By Dally Iyamu

Ondo Residents Shut Down Airport–Abuja/Lagos Road Over Rising Kidnappings

Residents of Ilu-Abo community in Akure North local government area of Ondo State on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the recent spate of kidnappings in the area, barricading the Airport–Owo Expressway and bringing vehicular movement to a standstill.

The protest followed the shocking abduction of a woman in the community on Sunday night, an incident that has heightened fear and tension among residents.

According to eyewitness accounts, the victim was kidnapped at the entrance of her residence by armed assailants who reportedly shot at her vehicle, damaging its fuel tank and tires before whisking her away. In the process, two neighbors who raised alarm and attempted to intervene were also shot one in the head and another in the stomach — and were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.

Angered by what they described as persistent insecurity and the absence of adequate security presence, youths, women, and community leaders trooped out early Monday morning, blocking the major highway with logs, stones, and other objects while chanting solidarity songs and demanding urgent government intervention.

The protesters called on the Ondo State Government and security agencies to establish a permanent military checkpoint in the community, insisting that only a strong and visible security presence could deter kidnappers and restore confidence among residents

“We can no longer sleep with our two eyes closed. Kidnappers are now operating freely in our community. We want the government to act immediately before more lives are lost,” one of the protesters said.

Commercial drivers, commuters, and motorists were stranded for hours as the protest disrupted movement along the busy expressway linking Akure, the state capital, to Owo and other parts of the state

As of the time of filing this report, security operatives had been deployed to the area to restore order, while efforts were ongoing to engage community leaders and address the protesters’ demands.

Residents, however, vowed to sustain the protest until concrete measures were taken to curb kidnapping and ensure the safety of lives and property in Ilu-Abo and its environs