Residents of Ondo State on Saturday grounded vehicular movement along the ever-busy Akure–Owo Expressway, protesting the spate of kidnappings and killings that have turned the corridor into a theatre of fear.
The demonstrators stormed sections of the highway in Akure, barricading the road and halting traffic for hours, as they demanded immediate and decisive intervention from security agencies and the state government.
A viral video of the protest showed angry youths and residents chanting solidarity songs while vehicles were trapped on both ends of the expressway.
According to residents, the protest was triggered by the abduction of a couple on Friday night, the latest in a string of kidnapping incidents that have plagued the route in recent years.
“This protest is because of persistent kidnapping and abduction in the area. Last night, we learned that a couple was kidnapped from the area.
The protest disrupted movement of cars and vehicles on the highway,” a narrator said in the video obtained by PLATFORM TIMES.
The Akure–Owo Road has repeatedly been flagged by commuters as a kidnapping hotspot, with travellers lamenting what they describe as inadequate security patrols, particularly around forested stretches of the highway.
Addressing the protesters, a senior police officer appealed for calm, insisting that security operatives had intensified efforts to flush out criminal elements operating in the area.
“Since yesterday, I have been inside the bush, and we have been trying our best,” the officer said.
He recalled that he led the arrest of three suspects linked to a previous abduction incident on October 10 last year, adding that his team swiftly mobilised after receiving reports of the latest kidnapping.
“The one that happened yesterday, I mobilised my personnel instantly,” he stated.
However, the officer blamed the difficulty in tracking the kidnappers on the reluctance of some residents to share credible intelligence with law enforcement agencies.
“The problem we are having is that if citizens get information, they are not willing to share it with the police. If I see anyone willing to give me information, I will go anywhere,” he added.
The protest comes amid heightened tension in the state following the killing of a traditional ruler, Oba Kehinde Falodun, by suspected bandits in Agamọ Community, Akure North Local Government Area.
The monarch was reportedly attacked on Wednesday evening when about 10 armed men stormed his palace in an attempt to abduct him. Community sources said he resisted the abduction, after which the gunmen allegedly opened fire.
When the bullets failed to penetrate, the assailants were said to have struck him on the head with a heavy object, leading to his death.
Residents say the twin incidents have deepened anxiety across Akure and adjoining communities, with many commuters now avoiding the Akure–Owo axis for fear of falling victim to kidnappers.
As of press time, the Ondo State Government had yet to issue an official statement on Saturday’s protest, while traffic gradually resumed following the intervention of security operatives.
Stakeholders have called for sustained patrols, deployment of technology-driven surveillance, and closer collaboration between communities and security agencies to restore confidence along the strategic corridor.
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