On Tuesday, commuters blocked the Enugu-Nsukka Road because of the ongoing abduction of drivers and passengers.
Road users were stranded for more than an hour as a result of the development which stopped vehicular flow.
The demonstrators were heard singing and pleading with the federal and state governments of Enugu to help motorists, passengers, and other road users.
“Enugu State Government should come to our aid over the ongoing kidnapping on this road; Opi-Nsukka Enugu road is now a den of kidnappers,” said one of the placards that the demonstrators carried. The protection of people’s lives and property is every government’s top priority. The Air Force should employ helicopters to find these kidnappers’ hiding places. Three drivers and numerous passengers were abducted just last week.
Commercial driver Mr. Ben Onyeke, who travels between Nsukka and Enugu, told reporters that the protest was intended to draw Barr Peter Mbah’s attention to recent issues that drivers traveling the Opi-Nsukka-Ugwuogo Enugu road have been having with their passengers.
“Drivers and passengers are kidnapped on this road every day, making it a kidnappers’ haven.
“Three commercial drivers from Sienna were abducted last week and released after a ransom was paid.
He claimed that the thugs who kidnapped several of his drivers had shot at their bodies and their cars as they fled.
Speaking as well, Mr. Chujwudi Offia remarked that many individuals now avoid driving because they are worried about being kidnapped.
“We are utilizing this protest to urge the security agencies and government of Enugu State to uphold their duties by seeing to it that these criminals are apprehended and brought to justice.
“Protecting lives and property is every government’s first responsibility, so the government need to defend us from these hoodlums.
We’re doing this today so that Nigerians will hear from us because we don’t know who the next kidnapping victim will be, he bemoaned.
Mr. Cosmos Agbo, a community leader from Opi, also spoke and lamented the level of kidnapping on the roads.
Agbo said that he narrowly avoided being kidnapped last week and added that he was still reeling from the trauma.
“Protecting residents’ lives and property is the government’s first priority. The Enugu State Government has to take swift action to stop these criminals’ operations.
He stated, “The government should order them to go into the bush to flush out these kidnappers. The state government employed people who work as forest guards.”
According to DAILY POST, the demonstrators were able to clear the road after Umabor Eha-Alumona Divisional Police Officer Mr. Allen Evason intervened.
Evason assured the demonstrators that kidnapping on that road would soon come to a stop since security services were working around the clock to find, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible for the crime.
The Enugu State Government claims that the region is now back to normal.
Reuben Onyishi, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State on New Media, said this in a statement on Tuesday.
The military, police, and forest guards work together to patrol the road and the bushes, making it safe. Let there be no fear.
“Opi-Ugwuogo Road is safe as Enugu State Government has adequately contained any form of insecurity on that road,” Onyishi claimed.
