Vehicular movement along the busy Akure-Owo Highway in Ondo State was paralysed on Tuesday as residents of Ilu-Abo and neighbouring communities in Akure North Local Government Area staged a dramatic protest over rising insecurity in the area.
The demonstrators barricaded the major highway using the corpse of a man believed to have been killed by suspected kidnappers, bringing traffic to a halt along the strategic route linking southern and northern parts of the country.
The protest, which occurred near the Akure Airport corridor, underscored growing frustration among residents who say their communities have been under constant threat from kidnappers and armed criminals in recent months.
Witnesses said the protesters, mostly youths, placed the corpse of the middle-aged victim in the middle of the highway, forcing motorists to abandon the road as long queues of vehicles built up on both sides of the route.
Residents insisted they would not lift the blockade until the government takes decisive action to secure the area, which they described as a hotspot for kidnappings and violent attacks.
According to them, the situation has become unbearable, with farmers unable to access their farmlands and residents living in fear of abduction.
The protesters also referenced a recent incident in which the secretary of the Okeluju Local Council Development Area under Akoko North West Local Government Area was kidnapped while working on his farm alongside two other individuals.
Carrying placards with messages such as “We Are Dying, Save Our Soul,” “Mr Governor, Please Assist Us,” and “Our Children Are in Danger and We Cannot Go to Farms Again,” the demonstrators demanded urgent intervention from the Ondo State Government.
They specifically called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to personally address their concerns and take concrete steps to restore security in the affected communities.
The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, later visited the scene and appealed to the protesters to allow the free flow of traffic.
Lawal assured them that security agencies, including the police and the Amotekun Corps, would intensify operations in the area to curb criminal activities and protect residents.
He also paid a visit to the traditional ruler of Ilu-Abo, Oba Olu Falae, where he briefed the monarch on measures being implemented to tackle the security challenges.
According to the police chief, additional police personnel and tactical units have been deployed to strengthen security presence in the community and along the highway.
Despite the assurances, residents maintained that only visible and sustained security action would restore their confidence and enable them to resume normal economic and farming activities.
The Akure–Owo Highway has increasingly become notorious for kidnapping and violent attacks in recent years, raising fresh concerns about the safety of commuters and residents along the corridor.
