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Residents Block Akure-Owo Expressway, Protest Alleged Killings, Kidnappings By Suspected Armed Herdsmen In Ondo Community
The protesters, who converged on the highway in the early hours of Tuesday, barricaded the major road linking Akure to Owo, leaving commuters and motorists stranded for several hours
Akure, Ondo State- Angry residents of Ayede Ogbese community in Ondo State on Tuesday morning staged a massive protest, blocking the ever-busy Akure-Owo Expressway over incessant attacks, killings and kidnappings allegedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen.
The protesters, who converged on the highway in the early hours of Tuesday, barricaded the major road linking Akure to Owo, leaving commuters and motorists stranded for several hours.
Vehicles were seen at a complete standstill as the demonstrators insisted that the government must urgently address the worsening security situation in the area.
Afrika Eyes gathered that the protest was triggered by the alleged killing of a farmer in the community on Monday, an incident that residents said was the latest in a series of violent attacks blamed on armed herdsmen.
Aggrieved youths, women and elderly residents carried placards bearing various inscriptions expressing their frustration and anger over what they described as government inaction.
Some of the placards read: “STOP INSECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEED ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS!!!”, “INSECURITY IN OGBESE IS BECOMING A PROBLEM,” and “WE NEED ARMY CHECKPOINT HERE IN OGBESE URGENTLY.”
One of the protesters, who spoke to journalists during the demonstration, lamented that the community had been under repeated siege, alleging that Fulani herdsmen frequently invade the area to kill and kidnap residents.
“At this same spot last year, they came and killed a man. Yesterday, they also came and killed another person,” the visibly angry protester said. “How long are we going to continue like this? Our farmers can no longer go to their farms. People are afraid to travel. We are not safe in our own community.”
Residents accused security agencies of failing to provide adequate protection despite repeated complaints and reports of attacks.
They claimed that several cases of kidnapping and killings had occurred in and around Ayede Ogbese without decisive intervention from authorities.
Motorists were forced to wait for hours as protesters occupied the road, chanting solidarity songs and demanding immediate government action.
