The security challenge facing Nigeria seems to be on the rise on a daily basis. This is made worse by incessant kidnapping, attacks from bandits, armed robbers and herdsmen which occur on our major highways Nationwide.
It has become pertinent, therefore, for travelers to be extra careful while on, especially, long journey. Travelers are also encouraged to take note of the roads compiled by Vanguard and listed below.
Osun and Ekiti states, affected roads include Esa-Oke Junction; Iwaraja-Efon Alaaye; Ile-Ife junction; Iloko Junction; Ipetu-Ile – Ilesha; Ilesha-Ile-Oluji; Ilesha -Osogbo, and Ilesha- Akure.
Ondo
Auga Road in Akoko where no fewer than 20 kidnappings have occurred in the last three months. Others roads are Akure- ljare; Akure-Owo- Oba Akoko- Akungba; Oka Akoko – lsua Akoko; lpele- Ido Ani; Ondo-Ore; Ondo-Akure and Akure-Benin.
Ogun
Siun-Ogere; Obafemi-Owode; Abeokuta-Lagos; Abeokuta-Sokoto; Ilaro-Owode-Idi-Iroko; Odeda-Ogunmakin; Fidiwo-Obafemi; Sagamu-Ogijo-Badary; and Ijebu Igbo-Oru-Awa. Ekiti In Ekiti State, Ikere-Akure Road and communities like Iyemero, Ayede, and Oloje are also danger zones.
Oyo
Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road, Atisbo Local Government Area of the state were also found unsafe as a result of kidnapping by suspected herdsmen.
Edo
Upper Sokponba, Ehor axis of the Benin-Auchi Road; Ogbemudia Farm; Okada along Benin –Ore-Lagos Road and Avbiama in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, LGA. In Edo Central, kidnapping is common along Ubiaja-Ewohimi-Agbor Road, while roads across the six LGAs in Edo North regularly record cases of kidnapping by suspected herdsmen.
South-South
Anyone safely passing through the Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states axis of the road must count himself lucky. Some of the roads in Rivers State include Emohua-Elele-Alimini axis of the East-West Road; Isiokpo-Elele axis of the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road; Omagwa – Ubima; Isiokpo- Ubima; Elele -Umudioga; Egbeda, Ubima, Omoku, and Elele-Ndele Rumuji-Emuoha-Choba -Port Harcourt roads. Edo-Ogwashi-Otulu-Atuma-Akwukwu-Igbo Road, which used to be a quiet stretch, into a death zone. The same applies to Ebu-Ukala-Onicha-Olona Road. Also, Issele-Uku-Otulu Road and Issele-Uku-Onicha-Olona Roads have become deadly given the activities of kidnappers. Issele-Uku-Ubulu-Uku Road, where kidnappers abducted a royal father and killed him a few years ago, remains an infamous route to ply. Umutu –Urhonigbe-Abavo and Ekuku- Agbor roads are also notorious.
The roads include Okurekpo community road in Ethiope East LGA. The Ode Bridge axis in Ethiope East has become a place where suspected herdsmen kill and rape. On Bomadi-Ohoror Road, the activities of bandits and herdsmen who kill and maim commuters have become worrisome. The road traverses four local government areas of Delta namely Bomadi, Patani, Ughelli South and Ughelli North. Agadama community women told Sunday Vanguard that they were often raped by herdsmen in their farms along Agadama road. Urhonigbe portion of the Agbor-Obiaruku-Abraka-Warri Road was also found to be another area of concern. In addition, it was gathered that herdsmen operate a thriving kidnap network between Umutu, Urhonigbe and Abavo communities.
Katsina
Jibia – Gurbi – Kaura Namoda; Dutsinma – Kankara – Sheme – Faskari; Musawa – Matazu; Charanchi-Kankia-Kusada; Dandume – Sabuwa; Sheme – Kankara and Dutsinma – Funtua which many motorists avoid between 6pm and 6am. Jibia – Gurbi – Kaura Namoda Road which links Katsina and Zamfara states is, according to residents the most dreadful.
Kaduna
Kaduna/Abuja Expressway are being terrorised by kidnappers. Other roads specifically identified as territories where abductors carry out their acts are Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Road; Kaduna- Saminaka-Jos Road; Kaduna-Kachia Road; Kagarko-Jere Road; Birinin Gwari-Kagara-Tegina Road; Sarkin Power-Birnin Gwari route; and Minna-Lambata-Diko-Kaduna axis.
Nassarawa
Shendam Road; Obi/Keana/Awe Road; Akwanga/Keffi Road; Keffi/Nasarawa/Toto Road; Gudi-Keffi Road; Gudi Garaku Road; Nasarawa-Toto-Gadabuke Road; and Akwanga/Abuja Road.
Niger
Suleja – Lambata, Bida Road; and roads in Kushaka, Kurebe, Pandogari, Gidigori, Kusherki, Koregi, Alawa, Kwaki, Bataro, Chikuba, Shafa, Kauri, Zazzaga in Rafi LGA. Others under siege of kidnappers are roads in Kakangi, Gayam, Dan Ganji, Maganda, Dawari and Kazage. Gusau-Magami-Dansadau, Kuceri-Danjibga-Keta-Wanke, Kaura- Namoda -Moriki-Shinkafi, Zurmi-Jibia – Katsina, and Talata Mafara/Tsafe roads unsafe. In Sokoto State, roads in Issa and Rabah LGAs are dangerous as a result of banditry.
Enugu
Enugu-Ugwogo-Nsukka Road; Nsukka-Adani-Onitsha Road; 9th Mile-Nsukka-Makurdi Road; Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, particularly at Ugwu-Onyeama valley; and Enugu-Port Harcourt Road. Kidnapping is yet to abate at Ukpabi-Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani LGA, Ugwu-Onyeama along Enugu-Onitsha Road.
Ebonyi
Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway; Abakaliki-Afikpo Expressway; Amasiri-Okigwe Expressway; Ivo-Oso Edda Road and some roads linking the hinterlands in the state.
Benue, Taraba
The Sankera axis comprising three LGAs, Katsina/Ala, Ukum and Logo LGAs, have had to contend with issues of kidnappings which usually occur on the over 150km stretch of Katsina/Ala – Wukari Road linking Benue and Taraba states. Also, Wukari-Takum and Wukari-Ibbi roads in Taraba State are notorious for kidnapping.
