The rampaging youths on the road
By DADA AYOKHAI, Benin
Youths across Akoko Edo local Government Council Area; Edo north district of the State on Wednesday, 21 May, 2025 blocked the ever busy Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo road; protesting its dilapidated state which has resulted in a high rate of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the vicinity.
They complained; that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence because of the bad state of the roads and lack of adequate infrastructure.
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They also lambasted political office holders from the area who they said were not sensitive to the plights of the people.
The protest created gridlock on the road as travelers including heavy duty vehicles along the road were stalled for several hours.
They also lament the case of a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), 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 laments: “We cannot continue to be slaves in our country, the government should come and tell us what they are doing.
“Akoko-Edo local government Council area has three general hospitals and non is functioning well, what is clear is that our colonial government knew the large size of Akoko-Edo that is why they 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 is this security challenge before he was given the job?
“Are they not aware that one of the reasons for this kidnapping is because of this bad road? Instead of fixing the road, they are mounting Tinubu for 2027 bill board.
“We also want the State government to come and tell us what they want to do about this road and kidnapping.
“One of our brothers has been with the kidnappers for almost one month, they have collected money in millions, they are yet to release him.”
The protesters also accused security agents posted to the area to checkmate insecurity for allegedly not taking their job seriously.
Hence they vowed to continue the protest until the State government attends to them.
It was the intervention of the Otaru of Igarra, HRH Oba Adehce Saiki that saved the day after he sent emissaries to the protesters to open the road for the free flow of traffic; disclosing that he had also written to the State government on the poor state of the road and high level of kidnappings.
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