Before now,South-West has been one of the most peaceful regions, you could move about on relative safety with little fear if being molested, harassed or kidnapped but the opposite is the case now, it seemed some criminal elements have reared up their ugly heads and decided to terrorise the area through dastardly act of dressing in military uniform and shooting sporadically into coming or going passenger vehicles in order to kidnap people for ransom or more nefarious purposes,with this becoming more and more prevalent on thee Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
From previous incidences, it seemed that early evening, 6:45pm to 7pm is when they are most active, meaning the road should be avoided around that time as much as possible, if Government doesn’t do anything fast to remedy this anomaly.
On October 27,five passengers were abducted along the Ibadan axis of Lagos Ibadan express way; one of the victims was Professor Adigun Agbaje, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan who has been released now after paying ransom in millions, as well as two other students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
On the 8th and 9th of November, bandits raided on the road at 5pm and around 6:45pm respectively on the said dates. Unfortunately, they robbed passengers of their belongings but couldn’t abduct anyone due to the information that filtered to them that security agencies were on their trail.
Everyday in the social media,many had been recounting their ordeal on this road without any statement from the Inspector General of Police or the President of Nigeria,Muhammadu Buhari who is presently away from the country, being in the United Kingdom.
This is very disturbing to say the least.
In a surveillance carried out by Sparklight on the 10th of November, 2022 on Lagos/Ibadan expressway to ascertain on the spot improvement on the road,it was discovered that from Sat Guru Maraji church from where the first attack happened till Macpherson University junction, there were heavy presence of Amotekun security personal and the Nigerian police. I must commend Governor Seyi Makinde for this,he took the bull by the horn.
From the bridge connecting Sapade which forms in Ogun State Axis till Sagamu interchange,there was no police or Amotekun sites by Ogun State Government. Why this is so? Nobody knows. The police public relations of Ogun State had been issuing statements but Nigerians want action and not statements.
Lagos/Ibadan expressway can never be another Abuja-Kaduna highway because it is developing and there are companies, religious houses and settlements around it.
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun met with head of security agencies on the 10th of November, 2022 and it is hoped that immediate action will follow suit to drastically reduce the chances for criminal elements perpetuating Cheri crimes, and taking away people’s peace and right of passage. Any Government that fails to protect its citizen has failed.
On the other hand, some of the previous victims had said they took them inside a thick bush and they walked close to 2 hours on that road meaning by now, the Inspector General of Police should have deployed drones to ascertain the bandit’s trail, hideouts and base of operations.
We cannot afford to be complacent at this Yelutide season when families will be travelling for festivities and celebrations, even when it seems their is nothing to celebrate in the country.
The President should leave UK and come back to Nigetia to protect the people he swore an oath to protect. Nigeria is boiling and its need urgent help.
The next time your clock ticks to 6:45pm, remember kidnapping on Lagos/Ibadan road is not totally safe yet, be careful and circumspect, and unless it is urgent and very important, you might be wise to postpone the journey, just to be on the safer side, at least until all this brouhaha is all over. hopefully, that will be very soon.
Tosin Adesile is a Journalist and a Public Analyst