On Tuesday, drivers of commercial vehicles who travel the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka Road staged a protest against the increasing number of kidnapping operations that take place on the road.
During the demonstration, it was observed that the drivers were carrying placards with various inscriptions to express their displeasure with the kidnapping incidents, which have caused the families of people who use the road to get to their destinations in the state to be in a state of mourning.
Among the inscriptions that were written were the following: “Govt, secure and protect the lives of your citizens,” “Kidnappers operate under the watch of security operatives,” “Kidnappers have taken over Enugu State,” “Govt must take the bull by the horn and stop this grave incident,” and “The Air Force should join hand by using helicopters to comb the bushes,” among other phrases.
The drivers, while urging the state government and security agents to make the road safer, stated that the Enugu State Police Command was fond of denying that there had been any kidnapping incidents along the road.
During the protest, one of the drivers, Kingsley Omeje, said that commercial drivers usually ply the axis in fear and added that the government needed to take drastic measures to curb the situation. Kingsley Omeje spoke during the protest.
He remarked that it was impossible for us to proceed down this road with fear. There are adults, children, and even infants hiding out in the woods, but the government is doing nothing to help them. On this road, the number of criminals is rising while the number of security operatives is falling. There is an urgent requirement for the attention of the government. It’s either going to be the government stepping in, or this road will be completely abandoned.”
Speaking further, Omeje stated that on Thursday of the previous week, hoodlums allegedly attacked commuters along the road in three separate incidents.
“The first attack took place at noon, the second attack took place around 2 o’clock, and the third group of commuters was kidnapped around 5 o’clock,” he said. “The first group of commuters was taken around noon.”
However, Reuben Onyishi, the Senior Special Assistant, New Media, to the governor of the state, Peter Mbah, stated that there was not a single new instance of kidnapping recorded on the road. Onyishi also confirmed the protest.
According to what he had to say, “The true position was that commercial Siena drivers converged at Opi-Nsukka with placards in order to protest the cases of kidnapping that took place on the road over the past week.”
This morning, the Deputy Police Officer in Charge of the Umabo Police Station in Eha-Alumona Nsukka spoke to them. The District Patrol Officer (DPO) briefed them on the security measures that had been implemented, all of which had been successful in removing kidnappers from the road. After that, everyone went their separate ways and got on with their lives.
Because of the combined efforts of the military, the police, and the forest guards, the road and the surrounding bushes are completely secure. Nobody ought to feel afraid. Opi-Ugwuogo Road is secure as a result of the Enugu State Government’s successful efforts to eliminate all threats to public safety along that route.
